2015 Countdown and Prep for my WINTER X-sing

Click the pics

Got myself a little entertainment for this trip…my Mini Bose

Yesterday, January 10th, 2015 my new buddy and friend Mike came over to assist with checking over my bike before my trip.  Mike is like family now, met through the virtual world, rode together on a Dual Sport BC ride, have the same dealer and he even bought my ex’s 2013 F800GS White Fluffy bike. 😉  Hopefully he will post some pics of what he has done to that bike.

Hope to leave January 15.

Above is my route.  Granted I may deviated a bit based on weather but this is a really good idea as to the cities and points I hope to get to.  I will post my SPOTWalla page soon and other info but what I NEED help with now is a name for the this trip.  Seems like I am always trying to clear my head so that is redundant.

Soooooo….What should I name this trip?  My idea was so typically boring….”2015 Winter Solo X Country Trip”.  I need better ideas and please feel free to post them in the comments.  THANK YOU!  We have a day! 😵

Mike is very methodical and thorough with his own maintenance of his own bike and I got to see how much attention to detail he spends to even changing oil.  He patiently waiting for the bike to drain, tilted the bike back and force to get every drop out.  Ran a little new oil to make sure all the old was indeed out. A little trick I will use.  Installed new semi-synthetic oil and a K&N oil filter.  I love new oil as much as I love new tires. Brake pads all good.

Wiped everything down and oil completed. Next installing the new BB Storms and just attaching my dual controller directly to the battery.  I will rarely use the dual with my normal riding.  Have a built-in single controller that has worked great for years running my heated jacket and gloves.  Now I have added pants and socks.

The Barkbuster Storms are really well made.  The bracket is pretty solid and I do believe I will have more coverage for of my hands versus the BMW OEM ones.  Mike recycled my end bar weights from the OEM and seemed to work well.  I had the BB ones but this worked out just as well.

I do hit my shield at full lock but not much sooner than when the BMW guards we one and I don’t think this will be an issues.  Time will tell.

PHOTO BOMB 👍

I love showing how neat my wires are under the faux tank.  I use a PDM60 and what a difference from opening up the fairing to a crazy can of snakes.

We open up the air box and the filter was not that but I replaced it with a K&N.  There was some oil on the bottom so I soaked that up and place the new filter in.  I think my filter was last changed back in June in Connecticut when I went X Country May/June.

Al little wet inside but not much but I don’t think oil should be there.  Possible last oil change there was too much oil?

Mike is a good teacher and while there are a million things going through my head as I try to sell my house I did listen as he explained what he knew.  Actually it was a great day having Mike around and he gets bikes as a passion and as much as me.

Love the purple K&N air filter…I mean it’s better looking eh?  JK.

In the future I will add a built-in dual controller but for now the dual is easily detachable when I no longer need it.  Now the funny part was me connecting my heated sock liners to my pants.  Pant then to the jacket liner and then adding my gloves.  What was funny I felt I was in a spider web of external cables.

Need to do a real dry run with just my base gear on.  Not flannel lined pants and flannel shirt.

What was even funnier than me getting all this stuff over bulky clothes was me trying make my way around the cable set up.

Yeah so I need to work out some comfort kinks.  You might have noticed on the Blow Torch short video there is a Scottoiler added.  Thought I would try that out.  Mike and so many swear by and I have always avoid them but HEY…you love once and let’s see how it does on a 4500 mile trip

So after spending about 5 hours playing around in the garage, we took a break, Mike’s fiance came over, Michelle with a great Indian Dinner and spent the rest of the night digesting, talking about bikes, life and ended a great day with a great night.  Oh, we added more reflective tape tp my bike.  Days are shorter in the winter.  I know I will be riding in the dark some days so better to be seen than not.

and to add one more thing to my arsenal of “stuff” I treated my self to a Bose mini blue tooth speak to keep my company on my trip.  Will be great for the tent too.  I got this while my house had its first open house.  I am seriously having issues going back and forth as to whether or not I should be moving in the first place. Let’s hope this journey helps me find peace with leaving BC after so long.  18 years.  So, 3 more sleeps, first mandatory destination will be Florida and then see how the east coast looks to NY when I get there.