Tpoppa

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/kevin-clinesmith-fbi-trump-russia-john-durham/2020/08/14/2f579994-de26-11ea-809e-b8be57ba616e_story.html%3foutputType=amp

I finally got around to using these. I used a lighter instead of a heat gun. The lighter works fine, a heat gun would probably have been a little more controlled. They are convenient with a slim profile, which is nice if your are working with multiple wires in a small space...like on a motorcycle.

Id have to check, but IIRC the RT is rated to carry more load than the GW. Not sure what determines that rating though. Tires, frame, subframe, brakes???

If you put a GW style top box/tour pack on an existing Connie/FJR/RT you'd be 90% done it could even be an accessory instead of a new model.

I personally would love to see a sporty tourer (not a cruiser) with real, actual passenger accommodations that doesn't weigh 800lbs. I think the BMW R1250RT comes closest. The passenger accommodations are only pretty good, but not good enough for a multi day ride.

I think Kawasaki has the best street lineup of any of the Japanese big 4. Their only holes are a big ADV bike and a big (sporty) tourer, which coincidentally are the only Honda's that are particularly attractive. Even their dated 1700 cruisers are the only real Japanese competition for HD. They need to decide if the Versys 1000 is an ADV bike or a ST to go along with the new N1K. It 'd be interesting if an updated Concours was a more of a competitor to the GW, but perhaps a bit lighter.

Kawasaki has been absolutely killing it... I'm really curious to see if there will be an updated Concours for 2022. https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2020-kawasaki-ninja-1000sx-review-first-ride.html https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2020-kawasaki-z900-abs-first-ride-review.html

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/cleveland-metro/large-group-of-dirt-bikes-atvs-motorcycles-take-over-cleveland-streets?fbclid=IwAR1SEtaBUhjLgOllmB4J1cgLwK-KZbxYl8RZSSWL8dGaKfp83nUu1qKbpJI

Also good, but ideally followed by a nap.

My favorite meal while riding:

I rarely ride at night, but if I do it's in a lit, populated area. I have ridden long highway stretches in the dark out of necessity. Not a fan.

HD should never have killed Buell. I get that Erik was kind of a dick to work with, but his bikes had (even still have) a loyal following. ...but, selling Buells in HD dealerships mixed as well as orange juice and toothpaste. Buells were tucked in the dusty back corner of most HD dealers. If you could even get a salesperson to talk about Buells the conversation went something like..."After you get bored with this 130 hp, 400lb beginner bike, you'll want to step up to the 65 hp, 900 lb Geezer Glide..." It was a terrible fit. Buell support was limited to OEM parts (even tires) and Buell (HD) branded gear. You couldn't walk into a HD dealer and buy Michelin, Pirelli, Shoei, Alpinestars, etc. That model worked for Harley, but was a huge turnoff for more sporty Buell riders. There was once an argument within HD Marketing about why Buell (sport bike) riders wouldn't wear Buell leather vests. - this story was told several times by Buell insders. It will be the same if the Pan American actually makes it to dealers. It will be only OEM tires and HD gear. No Mitas, or Klim, or Giant Loop...non HD, popular ADV accessories will not be on the menu & sales people won't know a thing about ADV riding.

Sounds like this story has a happy ending

How about a political thread where opinions take a back seat to facts, and different viewpoints are thoughtfully discussed in a reasonable & calm fashion?

Yes

Based on FB, Troy Benson has passed away Can anyone confirm? I don't know any details.

I used to have a VFR1200. I still have a Ventura Rack bracket for mounting a tail pack. Want it?

After looking more closely at this bike the design makes less sense. This is absolutely another form over function HD, which will makes no sense at all for an ADV bike where function is everything and form means nothing. Look how close the rear cylinder is to the front of the seat. When riding a big ADV bike though fire roads, double tracks and single track trails you tend go go pretty slow and crawl around in lower gears picking the best line. At slow speeds the bike will be running hot. Would you want your knees or shin resting that close the rear cylinder or heat shield? Why is that much of the engine exposed anyway? Most ADV bikes are packaged with the engine low and forward to keep the weight distribution more manageable. LED turn signals on the hand guards on an ADV bike? Really? Hand guards take abuse on trails, the good ones have inserts that can be replaced cheaply when they get broken...and they do. Turn signal should be mounted out of harms way so unpaved tip overs are less expensive. I could go on, but it's pointless. I'm not even convinced this motorcycle will ever actually make it to showrooms.

Same. Dunlop tires are the equivalent of Fram filters. They are widely available and extremely mediocre.

Couldn't give it away here, so I sold it for $75.

Out of curiosity, do you hate money? HOG will never be in my portfolio. I don't want them to die if they build relevant motorcycles and stop letting the styling dept overrule engineering (which is a fact by the way). If they keep building the same then I just don't care what happens to them. I bought 3 Buells to support relevant American Motorcycles. The recent Street Rod (which was touted as a game changer to win younger riders) flopped because of the god-awful riding position...which was the sore spot in every single review. That Pan American is interesting. But, hey would you look at that seat? Never saw a flat seat like that on anything with Adventure aspirations. It looks nothing like a seat for an ADV or an ST. But it sure does fit the lines of the blocky styling doesn't it? And...that V Twin is on display just like a cruiser...looks pretty high on bike though...and top heavy designs are especially problematic for slower ADV riding. Almost looks like it was designed by a moto-stylist that will never ride a motorcycle on a "B" road, or has any idea what's involved 😨

The fastest and slowest I'll ride is solo.

After weeks of sliding and wheel spin, I ditched the Dunlop RS3 in favor of a stickier Angel GT. efff Dunlop forever.

Someone should buy this. Same bike as mine with under 100 miles for $9k. That's half of MSRP. http://www.clickpowersports.com/r/?id=1297FBEE-AE57-471F-9DB1-ABFB0133559C&d=3279&t=1 Dynamic suspension, cruise, and all the nannies.

If you weren't aware. NBC/SN is carrying MotoGP this season. https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2020/07/02/nbc-sports-announces-motogp-telecast-schedule-for-2020-season/ I just watched the Spanish GP. It was very interesting. I won't give spoilers, but it should be a wide open season.