Riding Again

April 19, 2025
This has been a comparatively busy couple of weeks for the four bikes. Two weeks ago I had to have the entire fleet in for State Inspection and, as expected, they all passed. It is always interesting riding the four of them back to back. I started with the 250cc Honda just to shake off the Winter rust and get back to clutch and gearshift work. The Honda is pretty light and agreeable so that was a breeze. Next was the Kawasaki 750cc and it is the true test. It weighs almost two hundred pounds more than the Honda and has about three times the horsepower. It wasn't quite so disconcerting this year as in years past. Last Fall I finally got the differences between the two motorcycles clutch engagement worked out in my head and I wasn't so clumsy shift this year. 
Following the two motorcycles I rode the scooters there. The little scooter is so easy it's almost like autopilot. It shifts itself so all I have to do is twist the throttle and it's off and running. One thing I noticed was that it felt quicker than I remembered. I was buzzing along keeping up with local traffic with ease. Either the winter warmups loosened it up more or my memory is fading. Lastly came the longest owned vehicle, my 250cc scooter. It has the lowest seat in the group and it feels like a two wheeled sports car. Running as well as ever it did quick work of the trip to town and back.
After taking care of that I gave the front tire on the Kawasaki a good looking over and felt it was time to replace it. After buying a new one online replacement was taken care of by Valley Moto, a local shop, in a few hours. While it was in I had the owner check out my front and rear brake pads. He recommended I replace all of them with the words, "They should be done sooner than later." The new pads are coming in the mail and will be done soon.
There are rides coming up soon and I will have several adventures to report soon. Spring is here and the weather forecast is encouraging.
 

Winter Musings

January 11, 2025
I started the motorcycles yesterday and they all cooperated. At 34 years of age it always astounds me how well the 250 Nighthawk fires up and settles into a steady idle. I can tell by physical condition and other factors that the bike was used by people who were both mechanically clueless and treated it as a starter bike to be used for a brief time then sold to make way for a newer bigger one. Once I finally got everything straightened out it has rewarded me with flawless performance and a s...
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Winter Blahs

December 12, 2024
I'm sitting at the computer looking out the back window and wondering, "Where did the Summer go?" It seems like yesterday I was riding events and making either joy rides or trips to the store. All gone. Just to ice the cake we have even had a pair of snowstorms in the last couple of weeks. One melted by itself off the driveway while the second one required snow thrower intervention. The balmy temperatures of October and November have given way to chilling temps in the thirties during the day...
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The Year In Review

October 14, 2024
As I look out the window the leaves are changing color, a chilling breeze is blowing and the thermometer is reading fifty-eight degrees. I'm still having to take it easy from the pacemaker replacement and haven't thrown a leg over a bike in over three weeks. Any riding I do from now on will be of the "Local Errand" variety until Spring. I can't believe how fast this riding season has whizzed by.
All four of the scooters and motorcycles attended some kind of an event this past season and perf...
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A Big Ending

September 28, 2024
Well maybe not an ending if I heal quickly. In short, every so often I need my pacemaker replaced for a bizarre condition. It was done yesterday and I should be back on the bike soon. 
That being said...last week I did two events in case the season is over for me. The first was the annual Gabe Hayes ride in Wappingers Falls. I have done that event five of the six times it's been run and always enjoy it. It originally started in Bowdoin Park in Poughkeepsie but for the last two years it's bee...
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The Very Big Weekend

September 19, 2024
The last few years my brother, Bill, would drive down from his home near Rochester, NY and do an event in the area with me. Each year we have increased the days we ride and this year that number was three times. The biggest surprise this year was the bike Bill trailered down. In the past it was a 1986 Honda Shadow 1100cc with a V-Twin engine that he acquired from a neighbor. When he pulled into the driveway with his trailer this time I was surprised to see a 1984 Honda V65 Sabre 1100cc strap...
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Second Suicide Prevention Ride

August 5, 2024
Every year at the end of July I have attended another Suicide Prevention Ride out of Poughkeepsie. This year was no exception, Starting at a local Bar and Grill the ride has used great routes and an exceptional barbecue at the end to top it off. Most of the time I have ridden the ride the route follows roads I have seen before, but not this year. After using the usual streets we suddenly turned onto a couple of roads that surprised me. Wide open pastures with tight curves and rises and desce...
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Bike Night In Pleasant Valley

July 20, 2024
As member of the Hudson Valley Biker Network on Facebook I get to see announcements of upcoming rides and Bike Nights. Imagine my happiness when one occurred four miles from home. A new drinking establishment opened last year in the same building where I had my motorcycles serviced and it was chosen for one of the Pop Up Bike Nights this Summer. Since it was a really nice night weather-wise and so close I attended. Being so near I chose the most suitable bike for the job, in this case the 25...
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The Red Knights Ride

July 15, 2024

I'm still buzzing from the ride so bear with me. It started 5 miles from here. I took the CF Moto just for laughs and carrying capacity.  When I got there I found out that it was a self navigating ride so no big crowd in the way. Once the scooter got good and hot it really ran well. I had to stop at three checkpoints to pick cards, toss Corn Hole and throw darts. At the end toss Horse Shoes.

The roads, of course, were long and twisty and the scooter handled like it was glued to the roads. F...


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Flight Of The Chinese Scooter

June 6, 2024
Three years ago when I bought the new 170cc scooter I had my doubts. Mostly I had used previous small scooters for milk and grocery runs and that was about it. When I did large group rides I didn't think the scooter would have had the speed to hang with the herd. Its chance to prove its worth came in May when I rode the Suicide Prevention ride out of Poughkeepsie. Last year I used the 250cc Honda on this ride and peeled off from the group shortly after the start. Taking the less traveled rou...
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My Ride


Jim Zeiser If you wish to comment my e-mail address is h1500e@hotmail.com. I'd like to hear anything-good or bad-that anyone would like to say. As they said in college, we're all lifelong learners.

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