5-7-14

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been busy. I moved again, made a lot of synthesizer music, even hosted an internet-radio show for a few months. But it's Spring now and the Chrome Nun (my 2008 T100) is demanding long overdue attention.

This morning I rode to work. I've seldom done that since moving because the ride directly to work is now very boring. Today I left early and took the not-so-direct route to work. That was much better. It was a great ride, except that it ended at work.

The Nun is coming up on her 24,000 mile service. Since she's now out of warranty I'm going to do most or all of the service myself. I might chicken out on doing the bucket and shim valve adjustment. We'll see.

I'm still rolling on my first set of Tourance tires. I can't say enough good things about them. I will absolutely replace them with the same kind (if these suckers ever wear out!). If there is a better bad-road tire it can't be better by much, and I'm tired of experimenting.

The Nun still purrs like a lady and growls like a bitch. John Bloor has reason to be proud of the 2008 T100. I couldn't be happier with this motorcycle. She was "on" this morning. Or was it me? Or was it the gas? Who knows? All I know is she usually runs great but sometimes runs even better. All my Hondas were like that. They always ran great, but some days there just seemed to be a little extra something. Maybe I'm just nuts.

It is true that all my motorcycles, every one of them air-cooled, ran best in cooler weather. And I could swear this British bike loves the fog. Any motorhead knows the importance of atmospheric conditions on engine performance.

I think I've already blogged about the huge differences in performance I've experienced just by fueling up at different stations. Didn't I? Didn't I tell you that after filling up at one BP I was convinced that something was seriously wrong with the Nun? Didn't I tell you how I spent a morning riding at different RPMs and different inclines trying to get a feel for the problem when I noticed that I was low on gas and far from home? Didn't I tell you that after filling up at a 66 in Otto I putted to the edge of town then opened her up and almost flew off the back of my suddenly super-charged monster?

I'm not exaggerating the difference. I really thought the Nun was sick. One new tank of fuel and she was 110%. It would appear that fuel quality is important.

But there is one other important variable in my ever-changing motorcycling experience: me. I'm not quite the same person any two times I straddle the Nun. Sometimes I'm just not "into it." Other times the machine and I are one; a bionic centaur, half-man-half-motorcycle. On those occasions life is grand.

You say, "welcome back but where are the @#$% photos?" Kinda pushy, aren't you. OK, I'll take more photos. See ya soon.

Your pal,
The Lone Nun-rider