Zack
Junior Member
Nobody here will remember but 5 years ago I took my FZ from Toronto to Sarasota. That was quite ordeal since I managed to do it on weekend when they measured highest temperatures ever recorded in Eastern part of USA. So this time going back I was not to repeat past mistakes.
What happened is that to our great regret we sold a house in Sarasota. So my permanently station bike lost a garage and purpose in life. Last week I flew to Sarasota on Wednesday afternoon. Picked up bike on Thursday morning and took it straight to former "Granny's" (now "Power motor sports") on University and 301. I hung around in their nice show room while mechanic was servicing a bike. While checking out new beautiful machines I purchased Cramp buster. That was to come to use on upcoming trip. Anyway 3.5 hours and 4 hundred dollars later bike was ready for big trip. Oil filter, oil, air filter, spark plugs changed. Cables and chain lubed, adjusted. Tires pumped. Ready for big trip.
So that day and next I was hanging around for last time, went to Lido beach and other nice places. On Saturday morning 6:45 AM I was on my way back to Toronto, Canada. First few hours passed by rather quickly. Had to stop every 2 1/2 hours to fuel up. That was perfect timing to stretch legs and relieve true pain in the ass that started creeping up on me. To counter that I visited Target day before trying to find foam piece, something like garden chair foam seat. I had idea to rip it off and cut it to get suitable reinforcement or rather doubler for stock seat. However, no luck. Didn't find anything of that kind and had to settle for beach towel. I folded it several times and kept that on the seat. Did it help to make it softer? I don't know, not really. As ass time started to accumulate it was getting more evident that seat was made for Japanese asses. Not padded enough for longer rides. From time to time I would kind of try to squat like I want to stand up to relieve pain in the butt and that helped a bit.
Anyway, I had to press forward. Around 1:30 PM there was a clogged traffic in front of Atlanta. Hot weather, engine temperature rising quickly to 212 F, thirst ... couldn't wait to pass Atlanta. There I wasn't sure if motorcycles were allowed into HOV lanes so I didn't use it. Pity, would be nice.
Stopped for gas, sub and cold drink. Actual riding was good. Never experienced any dangers, no sudden stops, no debris in lane. I tried to be alone in lane or at least 150 yards from vehicle in front. I learned fast that any closer I would be buffeted by vortex created by vehicle in front. Following a trucks was out of question. I can say that people were driving rather fast and I obliged with same speeds: 70 - 80 mph at all times.
Twice during a day I stopped to put on rain suite. First time it was totally unnecessary. Rain was more as squall that I passed rather quickly. After that I kept cooking in freaking rubber suite until I had enough and took it off. The things is that black clouds were everywhere and I got wet several times but for few minutes only. At 6 PM in Tennessee I run into huge rain and by the time I put suit on I was wet. Again, drove through big rain for 10 minutes or less and then like nothing happened, dry road in front.
Around 8:30 PM I stopped in Berea, KY passing about 850 Miles first day which was a lot. It will prove to be significant tomorrow morning. That evening near Quality Inn motel I went for dinner into some homemade grill place. Ordered ribs and fries, no beer there (WTH ?!). They managed to ruin perfectly good cooked meat by splashing it with liberate amount of sweet freaking sauce. So sweet that I left half, paid and left. Over sweeten lemonade didn't help either. Strangely enough even being in mountains I experienced tap water that is awful to drink. I expected to find water to be tasty but no avail.
While room was very nice TV had only one or two channels with some kind of programming. Everything else were paid advertising channels selling crap. Anyway, tired and soar I went to sleep early.
Sunday morningI left at 6:20 with no breakfast. I was still affected by crap dinner from night before. Morning was cool, no traffic, fast ride again and I was in Cincinnati around 8 AM. That was place I was dreading in advance. I almost took I95 instead of I75 just because of it. Worst roads in whole 1450 Miles are in Ohio and specifically in Cincinnati. Not only that but always present road work and hold ups are ever present to ruin everybody's day. My plan was to pass it on Sunday morning and that definitely helped. No lineups but I still had rough ride over potholes and inexplicable trenches and bumps on the highway.
Around noon Detroit was in my sights, bridge to Canada and I was over it in minutes. Had few minutes chat with very nice border officer. Man likes bikes, beaches, Florida and wants to retire with a lot of beach time in Sarasota. My kind of guy.
My ass time really accumulated on me. That was a major hurt. Also I experienced neck pain, right in the middle of shoulders. That wasn't the case 5 years ago going opposite way. I guess being 60 makes difference
.
By 4 PM I was at home in Oakville. Motorcycle performed flawlessly. This was my last big ride ever. Now bike is up for sale. I posted it on Kijiji.ca.
Now I have new problem, nobody wants it! It is 2011, 20330 km (12k Miles) in excellent condition. Started at $4700 (CAD of course) and dropped it to $4450 after 5 days. Not a peep. No bidders. Can't believe that nobody wants such a good bike. One would be hard pressed to find comparable model of bike these days. Good looking, fast when you need it, economical to ride, no technical problems, upright riding, four cylinders, small but very useful fairing.
Well, I guess it will be with me until next season. Not that it makes difference but that bike I purchased new from small place close to Buffalo, NY. It's US boy.
That's my story and I am sticking to it!
What happened is that to our great regret we sold a house in Sarasota. So my permanently station bike lost a garage and purpose in life. Last week I flew to Sarasota on Wednesday afternoon. Picked up bike on Thursday morning and took it straight to former "Granny's" (now "Power motor sports") on University and 301. I hung around in their nice show room while mechanic was servicing a bike. While checking out new beautiful machines I purchased Cramp buster. That was to come to use on upcoming trip. Anyway 3.5 hours and 4 hundred dollars later bike was ready for big trip. Oil filter, oil, air filter, spark plugs changed. Cables and chain lubed, adjusted. Tires pumped. Ready for big trip.
So that day and next I was hanging around for last time, went to Lido beach and other nice places. On Saturday morning 6:45 AM I was on my way back to Toronto, Canada. First few hours passed by rather quickly. Had to stop every 2 1/2 hours to fuel up. That was perfect timing to stretch legs and relieve true pain in the ass that started creeping up on me. To counter that I visited Target day before trying to find foam piece, something like garden chair foam seat. I had idea to rip it off and cut it to get suitable reinforcement or rather doubler for stock seat. However, no luck. Didn't find anything of that kind and had to settle for beach towel. I folded it several times and kept that on the seat. Did it help to make it softer? I don't know, not really. As ass time started to accumulate it was getting more evident that seat was made for Japanese asses. Not padded enough for longer rides. From time to time I would kind of try to squat like I want to stand up to relieve pain in the butt and that helped a bit.
Anyway, I had to press forward. Around 1:30 PM there was a clogged traffic in front of Atlanta. Hot weather, engine temperature rising quickly to 212 F, thirst ... couldn't wait to pass Atlanta. There I wasn't sure if motorcycles were allowed into HOV lanes so I didn't use it. Pity, would be nice.
Stopped for gas, sub and cold drink. Actual riding was good. Never experienced any dangers, no sudden stops, no debris in lane. I tried to be alone in lane or at least 150 yards from vehicle in front. I learned fast that any closer I would be buffeted by vortex created by vehicle in front. Following a trucks was out of question. I can say that people were driving rather fast and I obliged with same speeds: 70 - 80 mph at all times.
Twice during a day I stopped to put on rain suite. First time it was totally unnecessary. Rain was more as squall that I passed rather quickly. After that I kept cooking in freaking rubber suite until I had enough and took it off. The things is that black clouds were everywhere and I got wet several times but for few minutes only. At 6 PM in Tennessee I run into huge rain and by the time I put suit on I was wet. Again, drove through big rain for 10 minutes or less and then like nothing happened, dry road in front.
Around 8:30 PM I stopped in Berea, KY passing about 850 Miles first day which was a lot. It will prove to be significant tomorrow morning. That evening near Quality Inn motel I went for dinner into some homemade grill place. Ordered ribs and fries, no beer there (WTH ?!). They managed to ruin perfectly good cooked meat by splashing it with liberate amount of sweet freaking sauce. So sweet that I left half, paid and left. Over sweeten lemonade didn't help either. Strangely enough even being in mountains I experienced tap water that is awful to drink. I expected to find water to be tasty but no avail.
While room was very nice TV had only one or two channels with some kind of programming. Everything else were paid advertising channels selling crap. Anyway, tired and soar I went to sleep early.
Sunday morningI left at 6:20 with no breakfast. I was still affected by crap dinner from night before. Morning was cool, no traffic, fast ride again and I was in Cincinnati around 8 AM. That was place I was dreading in advance. I almost took I95 instead of I75 just because of it. Worst roads in whole 1450 Miles are in Ohio and specifically in Cincinnati. Not only that but always present road work and hold ups are ever present to ruin everybody's day. My plan was to pass it on Sunday morning and that definitely helped. No lineups but I still had rough ride over potholes and inexplicable trenches and bumps on the highway.
Around noon Detroit was in my sights, bridge to Canada and I was over it in minutes. Had few minutes chat with very nice border officer. Man likes bikes, beaches, Florida and wants to retire with a lot of beach time in Sarasota. My kind of guy.
My ass time really accumulated on me. That was a major hurt. Also I experienced neck pain, right in the middle of shoulders. That wasn't the case 5 years ago going opposite way. I guess being 60 makes difference
.By 4 PM I was at home in Oakville. Motorcycle performed flawlessly. This was my last big ride ever. Now bike is up for sale. I posted it on Kijiji.ca.
Now I have new problem, nobody wants it! It is 2011, 20330 km (12k Miles) in excellent condition. Started at $4700 (CAD of course) and dropped it to $4450 after 5 days. Not a peep. No bidders. Can't believe that nobody wants such a good bike. One would be hard pressed to find comparable model of bike these days. Good looking, fast when you need it, economical to ride, no technical problems, upright riding, four cylinders, small but very useful fairing.
Well, I guess it will be with me until next season. Not that it makes difference but that bike I purchased new from small place close to Buffalo, NY. It's US boy.
That's my story and I am sticking to it!
Last edited:
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