"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
02/18/2020 at 11:21 • Filed to: None
10
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"Pickup_man" (zekeh)
02/18/2020 at 11:21 • Filed to: None | 10
| 24 |
There’s still one more in the shed
As every motorcycle enthusiast knows, it’s impossible to own just one bike. Well, I added two more to the collection this weekend. Having sold a project bike about a month ago, this brings me up to five (plus the two 3 wheelers, so 7?)
This past weekend I took a bit of a roadtrip after a fellow Opponaut offered me a deal on a bike that I just couldn’t refuse. Along the way I met up with a friend who I haven’t seen in several years and ended up trading him a tote full of game systems that I’ve lost interest in, for a bike that he hasn’t ridden in years but was still paying for a garage to store it in.
1650 miles, 27 hours in the truck, and 104 gallons of gas, which is a lot, but in the end was well worth it. I brought back one awesome bike, another decent bike, spent some good time with my dad, saw a friend I haven’t seen in years, and saw some parts of the country I’ve never been to.
Lake Michigan, just across the road from the hotel.
I didn’t grab a lot of pics of the two bikes yet as I was pretty exhausted, but the two gems I brought home are an ‘85 Honda XL600R, and an ‘83 Honda VT750 Shadow. Both will run after a little carb clean, but the Shadow needs a bit more work to be both road worthy and presentable.
Plans for the XL600 are as of yet undecided. Get it fired up obviously and ride it all over the grid roads around home and on the trails out in the Black Hills. But I’ve got a perfectly good XR600, with some better components that I wouldn’t mind swapping over before the XR600 gets sold (or traded, I’ve got a 2 stroke itch that needs to be scratched).
Plan for the Shadow is a cleanup and mild refresh, brakes, fork seals, seat cover, new blinkers, clean and polish, make sure it runs good and sell it. I’ve ridden this bike before, it’s an awesome cruiser, and a V-twin that revs to 9K is a glorious thing, but a 3rd road bike, (4th road legal bike) is not something I really need, so it’s gonna go away to fund a few other things on the want list.
If Oppo i s interested I’ll try to post some updates on both bikes as I get working on them.
Random road trip side note. You Michigan and Chicago area drivers are maniacs, I’ve never seen such blatant disregard for speed limits (even though I agree they were way to low in the Chicago area , but I’m sure as hell not getting a ticket), and I’ve never seen to many accidents, and some fairly bad ones at that, with only a couple of inches of snowfall.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 11:32 |
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I’ve ridden a Shadow before. It’s probably because of the cruiser style, but I thought it was one of the most uncomfortable bikes I’ve ridden. On the other hand, t hat XL looks like a lot of fun!
facw
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 11:37 |
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Are you secretly birddog by any chance? He’s been missing from around these parts since last April, but I think would approve of your garage.
Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 11:38 |
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you have a coyote F150 right?
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Pickup_man
> Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
02/18/2020 at 11:40 |
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I do, bought it about 7-8 months ago. Love it so far.
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Pickup_man
> facw
02/18/2020 at 11:40 |
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I am not, someone here, S hopteacher I think? , knows him personally though.
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Pickup_man
> TheRealBicycleBuck
02/18/2020 at 11:47 |
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I kind of agree, for being a cruiser style bike the old Shadows are very cramped for taller people. Mid controls with a very low seat, and bars that are way too close, they also handle like garbage and have near zero lean angle. There’s something I love about them though. It’s probably the super blatant 70's American chopper cruiser styling ripoff, but with a revy yet torqey V-twin that’s half the size but makes similar or better power numbers.
Edit: I’m super excited for the XL, I’ve got an XR600R which I’ve ridden a few times and it’s a blast. I foolishly bought it without a title because the PO got it from his father in law, was fairly sure that it had never been registered/titled, and was willing to help track it down if needed. Well he eventually started ignoring my messages so I got stuck with an offroad only bike. Still got a decent deal on it and I’ll be able to offload it so it’s not all that bad, but the XL fixes all of those problems.
Chuckles
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 12:26 |
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Oppo always needs more two-wheeled content, so updates would be cool. That's quite a lineup that you have there.
MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 12:41 |
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I’ve never seen such blatant disregard for speed limits
When you’re on the freeway in Wisconsin if someone flies by you at 15+ over the speed limit, 9/10 times there’s an Illinois plate attached to that car.
Also, it always amazes me how much people seem to forgot what driving in snow is like. WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR PEOPLE!
i86hotdogs
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 12:54 |
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The 55MPH top speed in and around Chicago is merely a suggestion. It’s 70+ in the middle lane, and 75+ in the left lane. Oh, and construction speed limit of 45? another suggestion.
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Pickup_man
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
02/18/2020 at 12:57 |
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And it’s not like this was the first snow of the year, it’s the middle of February! They should know better by now.
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Pickup_man
> i86hotdogs
02/18/2020 at 13:01 |
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That’s the conclusion I came to, luckily traffic wasn’t heavy when I went through I mostly kept pace with traffic and I stuck to the right when I could. Also, Illinois or Indiana has some draconian law that requires the person be present in court, or hire an in state lawyer for not a small fee, if caught speeding in a construction zone, you can’t just pay the ticket . I’m 10 hours from home, and everyone is driving faster than me, but I’ll be damned if I’m getting a speeding ticket.
HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
02/18/2020 at 13:06 |
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Part of the problem there is Wisconsin’s low speed limits. Which is why I like going to Minnesota so much
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i86hotdogs
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 13:41 |
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It’s a gamble every time I visit family there. I grew up driving those highways, and I’ve never gotten a ticket on them. It’s still nerve-wracking to be going 65 when there’ s orange signs everywhere calling for 45
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 15:16 |
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lol @ michigan speed limits, they’re hysterical.
Speaking of full garages, I hear you. this isn’t even loaded back up with all the kids crap yet:
bikes and the wagon surround the front of the trailer there normally.
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Pickup_man
> HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/18/2020 at 15:29 |
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First time I’ve heard of someone liking Minnesota because of higher speed limits. Around here we have a thing called Minnesota mileage, which is the improved gas mileage figure you get from driving the slower speeds in Minnesota.
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HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 15:29 |
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You must be in a Dakota
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Pickup_man
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/18/2020 at 15:36 |
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Normally a few more things go out in the shed during winter, but this winter has been both full of projects, and enough snow to prevent me from getting to the shed easily. Come summer time the wheelers will make their way back to the shed, the other bike will come to the garage, and two of the current bikes will get sold.
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Pickup_man
> HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/18/2020 at 15:37 |
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Indeed, the s outhern one.
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HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
> Pickup_man
02/18/2020 at 15:43 |
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Yeah. Wi freeways are still 65 instead of 70. And most back roads are 35. Heckin slow.
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Pickup_man
02/19/2020 at 10:20 |
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Once I finally get a shed (hopefully this spring/summer) I can clear a bunch of stuff out of the garage so I can pull the jet skis out without having to half empty the garage. Real tedious when you just wanna get going to the lake. My riding mower has sat outside all winter (under a cover) and I want that in a shed as well, then I’ll get the kids crap and the snowblower/other lawn equipment in the shed as well. Can’t wait to have a bit more elbow room in there.
Fuckkinja
> Pickup_man
02/19/2020 at 10:51 |
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I am glad your MI trip worked out well. The xl looks to be in good company. The xr200 replacement plan is done. I will be picking it up in a couple days.
One out and one in. So much for thinning the herd.
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Pickup_man
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/19/2020 at 11:48 |
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One thing I will recommend is to build the biggest and best shed you can afford. I put up one of those thin steel 10 x 14 sheds, because it was cheap and I thought it would be good enough. Honestly it has been “good enough” but I wish I would have gone bigger and a bit stronger.
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Pickup_man
> Fuckkinja
02/19/2020 at 11:52 |
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The empty spots never stay empty long.
It’s supposed to warm up some by the weekend so I’m hoping to get it cleaned up a bit and fired, I’ve already got plates for it so if the weathers nice enough I’ll try to put some miles on it. After that it’s figuring out how many XR parts will make their way over to the XL.
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Pickup_man
02/19/2020 at 12:02 |
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Giving space requirements the biggest I can go is 10x10, and i think it’ll end up being an 8x10. We were looking at one of the vinyl/resin ones like this:
Big enough to store the kids bikes, the riding lawn mower, the snow blower and the garden tools . I wouldn’t mind bigger but the spot is already planned/leveled in the yard and I had to have my entire backyard re-engineered for drainage last year so I ’m not messing with it now lol