Looks as if my computer problems are solved.  I should be back spewing large amounts of wisdom in a jiffy.

Over the past few days much of my time has been spent trying to resolve my computer issues and with the help of AN Hosting, it appears things are back to normal. Thanks guy from India!!

Now that I am packing heat, I took the RT into the inner city and snapped a few pics.  OK, we really don’t have an inner city, but it sounded kind of gangsta’.  As most of you know, I am straight hood!

I can barely move this morning!  Yesterdays spring cleaning nearly did this old man in!  OK, perhaps I may have over spoken a wee bit, but just a wee!

I recently posed this question to a local motorcycle dealer; “What is the biggest hurdle you face when selling a motorcycle?”  His instantaneous reply? “Bad credit!”    Go to any motorcycle dealership on a Saturday or Sunday and you will see hundreds of people looking at bikes, ”it is easy to sell them, it is tough to get them bought!” 

 Most banks are swamped with credit inquiries, but only approve a very small percentage.  Last Monday I spoke with a local banker who was thrilled with the amount of credit applications he had received over the weekend, until he realized less than 10% were worthy of financing.  Very sad!

Individuals with poor credit are aware they have bad credit, still they continue to waste the salesperson’s time, the finance managers time, the banks time, and their time.  Stop It!   Stay home and work on restoring your credit, you do not need a motorcycle!

As we step over the threshold of seasons and anticipate the warming of Spring, there is much to do around the Slark hacienda prior to logging the miles on the RT.  When living in a 100 year old house there is always something in need of  attention.  Here’s my spring agenda

• Paint the garage.
• Paint the shed.
• Re-work a couple of flower beds.
• Clean the gutter.
• Repair cracks in the drive and sidewalk.

Last evening I spent some time sweeping, and returning a few stored items to the garage.   Hope you have a fantastic day of riding!

If riding today pay attention to…

 1.  Sand on the roads especially at intersections.

2.  Inattentive cagers.

3.  Your slower reflexes (if this is your first ride of the season).

 According to The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), Japanese Motorcycle manufacturers cut production significantly beginning  2009.

Number of Motorcycles Produced
Motorcycle production in January 2009 was recorded as 87,667 units. Compared with the 114,214 units total recorded for the same month of the previous year, this is a decrease of 26,547 units or 23.2%, and production decrease on the same month of the previous year for seventeen consecutive months.

Number of Motorcycle Domestic Sales
Domestic sales (factory shipment) in January 2009 stood at 28,980 units, a decrease of 8.6% as compared with the same month of the previous year.

Attention all Photographers!  How would you like to have one of your photos featured in the 2010 BMW Calendar?  It could happen. Now through May 31st, BMW is sponsoring a photo contest with the theme “Traveling With BMW Motorrad”.  For further details check here.

If you decide to submit a photo let me know.

Ever have one of those days?  On Wednesday, Springfield was graced with one of the finest riding days of the year. No wind, plenty of sunshine, temperatures in the 70’s, and I was not working!  Yet, despite my best laid plans I could not get out the door.

My first mistake was stopping by the Dealership, but I needed to call a couple back from the night before. I had forgotten to bring their phone number with me, so I needed to dropped by for “just a second”, about two hours later I left there.  That chain of events led to me into another dealership where I ran into a fellow BMW loyalist.  We talked for over an hour! Great conversation, full of riding and touring info, but time was moving on.  That’s when the old Elvis song; “A Little Less Conversation” began playing in my head it was now time for some “Action”; “Riding guys, riding!”

It was mid-morning when I rendezvoused with my buddy Dan, and we began burning up the pavement.  We had a good day of riding and around 4 p.m. Dan was on his way home and I continued riding.  A couple hours later I made my last stop of the day as I cruised into John’s place to enjoy a couple cigars out on the patio.  A nice ending to a gorgeous day!

Keep the rubber side down!

Rick

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This is a car advertisement from Germany. When they finished filming the ad, the film editor noticed something moving along the side of the car, like a ghostly white mist. They found out that a person had been killed a year earlier in that exact same spot.

I don’t believe this ad aired do to the unexplained event. If you watch closely as the auto passes the trees in the middle of the screen you will see it. Let me know what you think!

With moderate temperatures and the need for some shopping, I made my way east to the Iron Pony located in Westerville, Ohio. Iron Pony is a motorcycle superstore stocked with everything you can imagine.

I arrived soon after opening and there were already a few guys who had ridden in

After a couple hours in the store I headed to The Old Bag of Nails Pub to watch a little College Hoops.

It was a pleasurable way to spend an afternoon, but this was more than a pleasure ride.  I was practicing…

1. Picking the line through the curves.

Over the winter I got a little sloppy in this area, so I really concentrated on being smoother in the curves, picking the line and  looking further ahead.

Focusing on the line is an area I really desire to improve on this year.    What about you?

What area of your riding skills do you want to brush up on?

The K1200R rocks check it out!

Winter is teasing us like a schoolyard bully!  For a brief period he lays low allowing the warm southern breezes of spring to engage our senses. Our minds begin to thaw and we tell ourselves “we have finally seen the last of that thug!” Of course, that’s just before he sneaks up behind us and knocks us on our ass!

For me, this is the most difficult riding season of them all!

It’s official!  I will be riding the “Saddle Sore 1000″ in early May.  The “Saddle Sore 1000″ is a 1000 mile ride in a 24 hour period.  More commonly referred to as a 1000 in 1 ride, this trip will be overseen by the Iron Butt Association, and must adhere to their strict standards.  The “Saddle Sore 1000″ compliments my personal touring style, and although I have made this type of ride before, it has been strictly unofficial.

Springfield will be the official starting place.  I will then ride Interstate 70 West to Boonville, Missouri, this will mark the halfway point.   After getting a time stamp in Boonville, I will head back to Springfield.  The 24 hour period is “wall time” not “riding time”  if I leave Springfield at 6:00 a.m. on May 5Th, I must return to that exact point and be time stamped before 6:00 a.m. on May 6Th.     I realize this is no big deal for some riders, and many say “What’s the point?”  Well, truly there is no point!   It’s  just something I would like to do, nothing more, nothing less!