![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:14 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, Smart, Snow | ![]() | ![]() |
Last night I decided to trade the CF Moto for a GSX1100G. Despite how questionable that may sound, that wasn’t the dumbest thing I’ve done. No, that goes to this:
Yep, I did it during a snowstorm. If that wasn’t sketchy enough, I followed Google’s route to the seller , which took me through some gnarly backroads.
I can’t even begin to describe how the drive was. I was terrified and impressed in equal measure. The car never slid, the trailer didn’t sway, and stopping wasn’t all that different on snow than without the trailer (drag??).
A few hairy moments include a steep uphill grade made of ice and a road that went from perfectly clear to absolutely destroyed without warning.
Thankfully my reading of the forecast was correct and once I got about halfway there the snow mostly cleared up.
The bike is a 1992 Suzuki GSX1100G. This is basically the standard version of the GSX-R1100. Yeah, I just keep getting bigger and faster bikes...
And somehow I got it off the trailer by myself in the ice. I used spare carpeting for traction. It worked hilariously well.
As luck would have it, the seller lost the title and the front brake was frozen. So instead of the trade I gave him $50. This now means I’m +1 on my ideal bike count...but but, it’s going to be so fun!
The route home was much better as I took the interstate. Local routes were even worse than when I left home, however with mostly straight roads this was a much easier drive than the backroads from earlier.
Lessons learned:
- Tucker is a feckin beast.
- Don’t buy bikes in a snowstorm.
- And if you do, keep to main roads and highways.
Now I move the CF Moto to storage.
I am for sure selling off the Ruckus. Anyone interested? I’ll basically let it go for a couple hundred to any Oppo.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:19 |
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Idea, hear me out:
Buy a Jimmy so you can tow your Suzuki with your Suzuki
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:21 |
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I’d think no title is a no go, what are you gonna do about it?
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:23 |
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Replacement shouldn’t be too hard to get. I have the registration in hand and in a worst case, a bonded title will do.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:23 |
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Jimny. a Jimmy is a GMC. But they don’t sell the Jimny here.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:23 |
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That’s incredibly easy to remedy, and shockingly common with motorcycles.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:24 |
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Deets on the ruckus? I'm local ish depending whereabouts you are.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:28 |
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We have the technology
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:32 |
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So you essentially bought a bike for $50?....That runs.....
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:41 |
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It runs but doesn’t ride. I need to clean the carbs before it’ll ride...and the rear tire really only has enough tread to take test rides on.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:42 |
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screw the bikes, get a snowmobile.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 11:45 |
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It’s a 150cc clone of a Ruckus. During the Gambler 500 I drunkenly removed and subsequently destroyed the drive cover and airbox, so it’s running a pod filter now. I still have the kick start mechanism in a box should the buyer choose to get another drive cover. It has brand new, wider than stock tires as well (the Chinese sizes were hard to find/expensive ) .
I’ll get some pics of it soon! I kinda want to give it a nice wash first. lol
I live near a town called Lakemoor in IL.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 12:03 |
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Oh god towing with a Samurai. That would be...ill-advised, I would say.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 12:04 |
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Yes, the last thing a woman with five Smarts wants is ill-advised ideas.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 12:06 |
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Hmm definitely keep me posted, I'm about an hour from you, but me and my wife are going to be sharing a car for a while so something like this might be good for the spring, I've been meaning to get my motorcycle license.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 12:31 |
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Probably better than towing with a Smart, though....
![]() 01/23/2019 at 13:28 |
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Always liked
that 1100G. Very similar to the V65 Sabre I had a million years ago, but air-cooled. How’s the parts support for a 27 year old zooki?
![]() 01/23/2019 at 13:56 |
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Wow.
I don’t know what else to say.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 14:23 |
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It’s magnificent. Those wheels are amazing. I am
literally
weak in the knees right now.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 14:29 |
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Oh gosh, it’s like when a parent is like “I don’t even have any words”.
Yeah, even I was disappointed in myself.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 14:40 |
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$50 what the fuck. I’ve been looking for a bike like this.
![]() 01/23/2019 at 15:07 |
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I would say you’re interpreting my response correctly ;)
![]() 01/23/2019 at 15:15 |
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$200 for a ruckus? How far are you from Atlanta?
![]() 01/23/2019 at 15:31 |
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It’s a Chinese Ruckus with a 150 that I only paid $400 for. I’m putting it up on FB/CL for $550 but I’ll sell for super cheap to an Oppo. :)
I’m in northern IL, so pretty far. lol
![]() 01/26/2019 at 11:01 |
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Last weekend, I drove past a Smart with a front wheel off-and very rusty rotor. And where and how it was sitting in the yard says its been there a while. (I used to buy a lot of cars-and most were in this condition. “ Hi-you wanna sell the car under the tree over there?”) And I just so happen to have a back up ‘ Busa engine for my race car. Hmmm.....
![]() 01/26/2019 at 11:19 |
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Uh wait, where do you live? I’m actually looking for a smart that meets that exact description that I can build into my next Gambler. Like seriously, I’d pay you to pry it off them!
![]() 01/26/2019 at 13:22 |
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All the way out in Ct. Sorry. I’d be happy to knock on the door if for some reason you did want it.
![]() 01/26/2019 at 14:53 |
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I mean, I could probably find a way to get it back to IL! From your stated condition it sounds like it can't be worth any more than like $500
![]() 01/26/2019 at 14:59 |
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I’ll try to get back there to look closer. I DID think of you when I went by by it the first time...
![]() 01/26/2019 at 18:03 |
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Yay! Thanks!
![]() 02/05/2019 at 13:16 |
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This story is fantastic!
![]() 02/07/2019 at 11:19 |
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Hats off to your daring adventure!
I am scared of driving my car in snow lol