Thursday, June 26, 2003

Just a couple of quick motorcycle pictures before I head toward bed.

Here's the bike and me from the left.

Here's the bike and me from the right.

Finally, here's just the bike from the right.

In pic #2, you can really see my bad-ass boots. The Wife picked them out--they're boss. She has excellent taste.

Posted by Keeper @ 09:46 PM CST [Link]

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Yes, folks, the rumors are true--I am now the proud owner and rider of a 2003 Yamaha V Star 650 Custom, with Vance & Hines CruiZer pipes.

This sudden change of my transportation came about because my wife's car exploded two days ago. Not literally, of course, but just about. The torque converter went out and shat metallic fragments all inside the transmission housing, which broke just about everything inside there. The total bill was going to be $1,500. The total value of the car was $1,500. We opted not to do the repairs and to sell the car to the transmission guy for $500. Easy enough.

So, now, I am driving my mother-in-law's Impala while frantically trying to work up enough courage to ride the bike anywhere but behind my apartment complex. The problem is one of reflexes--I don't have them yet. When you drive a car, you quickly develop the reflex to slam your foot on the brake when Something Bad Happens. I don't yet have similar reflexes for riding, and while I am sure that they are quick to develop, everything I do right now is a conscious action--I haven't reached the level of unconscious operation that is required by most complicated, repetitive tasks (like driving). Soon, very soon--in fact, we have to give my mother-in-law's car back either tonight or tomorrow, so I damn well better figure things out quickly.

We shall see.

Posted by Keeper @ 03:04 PM CST [Link]

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

Time to do the update! Update, update, update.

BikeQuest 2003 continues. Based on the feedback I got, I'm going to go ahead and buy the service plan. It seems like a good deal, and even if I only use two of the prepaid service visits, the plan will have paid for itself.

Thanks to forumgoer Darktan, I spent most of yesterday fiddling with Connectix VirtualPC. Macintoshers should be well familiar with Connectix's products, but I wasn't aware of their PC version. It seems to be a lot like VMWare--in fact, I couldn't tell you what the differences are. I can tell you, though, that I had a hell of a lot of fun last night with this thing. There's a full-featured, 45-day trial version available off of the web site for free, so I pulled it down and fired it up.

Within ten minutes, I had DOS 6.23 installed (got it in .IMZ format off of news://alt.binaries.warez.ibm-pc.old) and was fiddling around with EMM386 and LOADHIGH statements, just like the old days! I didn't actually try running any programs, but I did yank down an OAKCDROM.SYS file from the web and set up my CD-ROM drive with MSCDEX so that I could use it in DOS. Ahhh, memories! Tonight, when I get home from work, I'll play with it further. I've got a ton of old games I want to pull out and try, to say nothing of old utilities. Oh, XTree Gold, how I've missed you!

I had a dream last night that I was in a choir song and dance performance at my old elementary school, except that I was just as old as I am now and the choir performance was being directed by Dr. Peterson, my band director from high school. It involved white tuxedos and cowboy hats, and I didn't know any of the songs or any of the dance numbers, so I sort of got up on stage and flailed around. It seemed to be working--it looked like I was fooling everyone--but then I realized that my shirt wasn't tucked in and I wasn't wearing the same kind of jacket as was everyone else. So, I ran off the stage to get my jacket, and while I was off stage, I was struck by a revelation: "Wait a minute. I fucking graduated from college. Dr. Peterson can't tell me what to do anymore! It's not like he can fail me, or anything!" So, I walked out the front door, and there, next to the building, was my motorcycle!

I jumped onto it and turned the key, but the engine sounded funny. That's when I realized that it was a totally different kind of bike from the bike that I wanted--it was a lot smaller, and all rusty, and looked kind of used and crappy. But, hey, it was transportation, and I needed to get the hell away from the elementary school before Dr. Peterson got wise to my act and ran out to attack me with, I dunno, his gay beams or something. So, I drove very professionally and properly away from the school, through several stop signs--obeying all traffic laws--and out onto the highway, where I kicked it up to cruising speed and was enjoying the wind in my hair when my alarm started going off.

Ha. Stupid Dr. Peterson.

Posted by Keeper @ 09:16 AM CST [Link]

Thursday, June 5, 2003

Here's a bit of clarification about the VIP plan, mentioned in my previous post.

Scheduled service for three years: $220.00 x 6 == $1,320
Extended warranty: $480.00
Total I'd spend: $1,800

VIP cost, which includes all of the above: $899

Difference: $901.00

Since I am absolutely buying the extended warranty no matter what, this means that I'm getting $1,320 of scheduled maintenance for $419.

So, as I said in a reply to one of the e-mails I received, this is inarguably a good deal--but is it worth having? Will I require six maintenance visits over the first three years, assuming I ride the bike 10-15 miles per day?

Man, this is all complicated and stuff...

Posted by Keeper @ 08:26 PM CST [Link]

I drove down to the closest Yamaha dealership after work to further my quest for a motorcycle. Lo and behold, sitting in the middle of the showroom was exactly what I wanted--a 2003 V Star 650 Custom with some rawkin' slash-cut pipes. Sans pipes, the bike was $5,300--with pipes, $5,900. I didn't buy, of course--there will be no buying until August, because that's when I take the course and get my "M" endorsement--but I did talk to the salesguy ("Mike") and get a brochure and some solid numbers. My take-home, turnkey price on that bike, as configured and with the dealership's VIP service plan (which we'll get to in a moment), is $7,820.

Now, about this VIP service plan. The bike comes with a one year warranty. Yamaha's factory extended warranty costs $480 and covers the bike for two more years. The dealership's VIP service plan includes the two year extended warranty, and ALSO includes three years' scheduled maintenance (including oil changes) at a discount, and costs $899.

I'd like to ask anyone who knows things about motorcycles, or even anyone with any opinion whatsoever, to e-mail me and let me know if you think it's a good idea. Keep in mind that I absolutely will be purchasing an extended warranty, because I have the mechanical aptitude of a rhesus monkey and will be incapable of working on/repairing the bike if anything goes wrong. Knowing then that I will be buying an extended warranty, do you guys think that this VIP thing is a good idea?

Posted by Keeper @ 08:34 AM CST [Link]

Sunday, June 1, 2003

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the rumors are true.

I...am going to buy a motorcycle.

Wife and I have been discussing it on and off for many months now, with the discussions usually ending very negatively--her brother was nearly killed on a motorcycle several years ago. However, this weekend, we talked--seriously, for-real, heart-to-heart talked. What it came down to is that I want this, with all me heart, and she doesn't want to see me unhappy. More than that, though, is that she trusts me and wants to be a good wife.

Which she is. I spend most of my waking moments wondering what I did to deserve a woman like her, and I can't think of anything!

So, it's off to the "Basic Motorcycle Operator Training Course", a state-sponsored course that I need to take in order to qualify for a class M (motorcycle) addition onto my driver's license. Actually, the BMOTC isn't required; you can also take a practical test at the DPS. Whether I do the practical test or the course, I still have to take a written test to qualify for the class M addition. After that's done and I'm all learned and qualified and official, I go shopping.

Like most starry-eyed dreamers, I already have my model picked out--I want a Yamaha V-Star Custom. Every review I've read has said that it's an excellent beginner's bike, and I love the look. Two people with whom I work have recently bought V-Stars, and they both love them. So, I prepare to join the two-wheeled ranks of the road warriors, the freedom-seekers; those uninhibited men and women who ride in packs and own the road. Yes, I'm gonna be a biker.

I'm so excited!

Posted by Keeper @ 09:56 PM CST [Link]