First, It's independence day and I am dependent on a British bike. I found that quite odd on my way in this morning. Almost unpatriotic, but satisfying in a world peace kind of way. In the end, I don't care, I love the bike and 1/2 of its bits and pieces have been put on in the US anyway at this point.
Speaking of "in work", I'm working today to make up for the day off yesterday for the fork/suspension service and parts bonanza. One more farkle discovered. Expected to buy the racetech 1.0 springs and have them installed as an upgrade from the factory .6, and they were already in there. I liked the suspension setup, but it dove like crazy on braking which I did not care for at all. Figured I would do the upgrade since I had to get new seals anyway. Turns out it already had racetech 1.0 springs in there, but whoever did it, didn't cut the dampening tubes down correctly and left them at stock length. Had the tubes chopped about an inch and it is night and day. Also lowered the front since I lowered the rear 25mm and they needed to be lowered anyway for the tube cutting. I was told that was part of my handling issue and why my front tire looks new but cupped compared to the nearly destroyed rear. Special thanks to Jim Hamlin at Branchville Motors in Connecticut for doing the work, and letting me assist start to finish and giving the bike a thorough once over for the trip. Now I have to install a lot of crap I just bought. 19T sprocket, clutch cable, thermostat, radiator cap, tires. Most of the loose crap he found shouldn't fall off now at least.
I firmly believe I have one of the best commutes in the mid-atlantic. 20 miles of twisties and farm roads each way, though I do have to pass the dump which can at times be an assault. Getting behind a garbage scowl is worse, but both are typically short lived. Today, my heart sank as I turned on to Applebutter road. Cinders EVERYWHERE. Cinders still there through the first chicane pair. I have no idea what happened, but my beautiful banked asphalt must have had one too many cracks and pothole repairs (almost none were in the line). I really hope this is just a base layer. It looks and behaves like tar and chip and it keeps going and going and going for 5-8 miles with the top 1/4 inch being just cinders. It was kind of heartbreaking. Also pretty impressive since I rode it friday and they didn't even have signs up and now there is not a construction vehicle in sight and no signs other than "No Road Lines" here and there. They couldn't have just gone right over the road surface could they?
Happy Independence day to all, especially the veterans in my family and yours.
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