Blue Ridge Parkway: Trip Planning!

I am planning on riding the entirety of the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer on my 1990 FZR 600. I will be traveling lightly, with only what I can carry strapped to the bike and in my saddlebags. For example, I am not planning on bringing a tent or sleeping bag, instead I will take a tarp and a blanket. I will stay with friends sometimes, and sleep under a tree at others; grass for my pillow, a cool breeze as my lullaby.

My journey will begin on a Sunday in late June, when I will leave Morgantown, WV and travel to the northern end of Skyline Drive. I hope to ride the Skyline on that Sunday as well, and meet some friends near Charlottesville. Monday, my trip will begin in earnest as I start down the parkway proper. I will allow a week for the trip, though it may not take that long. My birthday, in the beginning of July, will happen on the road during the height of my travails.

This trip is not solely for the purpose of pleasure, as I plan to write a number of articles from this experience with hopes of selling them to various magazines. While on the motorcycle, my progress will (no doubt) often be rapid. However, I plan on stopping quite frequently to take pictures, videos, and journal entries with my digital voice recorder.

Although pleasure isn't the sole purpose of the trip, it has always been a dream of mine to travel this road from one end to the other. I was raised in Floyd County, VA, which is right off of the Parkway. Ever since I could drive, a desire has been growing in me to see all that the Parkway has to offer. Up until this point, I have never been able to break away. I am going to be entering graduate studies for journalism in the fall, and this summer may be my last, best chance for a long time.

I will be purchasing gear for the next few months, and will post reviews of everything that I use at the end of the trip. I welcome suggestions or donations of light, useful gear that might aid me on my journey. In addition, I encourage anyone that lives near the parkway -- and would be willing to let a weary traveler pitch a tarp in their backyard for a night -- to contact me via the comments section of this blog.

In preparation for the trip, I will be outfitting my bike with a Cortech Sport Tri-bag System, new Race-Tech Fork Springs, GenMar Handlebar Risers, and possibly a Zero Gravity Double Bubble Windscreen. I will also have a full tune-up performed, including carb syncing and cleaning, new sparkplugs, and a valve clearance adjustment.

In the next few months, I will be posting on this blog about the progression of my trip plans, and the history of the Parkway. I hope to hear some thoughts about it from folks that share my interest in this beautiful, paved ribbon of american history; especially those of you that may have already done this trip, and might have suggestions. Thanks, and be well!

Gear Review! Teknic SMT gloves

After I bought my nice helmet, I began to feel like the rest of my body was totally naked when I rode my motorcycle, especially my hands. I could feel the wind flowing past them, and when I looked down, see the pavement doing the same thing. I thought, "Even If I have a little spill, I could permanently ruin my hands." So I began the search for good gloves.

I said in a previous entry that we (motorcyclists) should wear the best gear that we can afford. However, that is easier said than done, especially when you are broke. The lure of a motorcycle is such that we save our money to buy one, but are not left with enough to purchase the correct gear. Then, once we have the bike, we must ride even if the risk to ourselves is huge. Not smart! I have been piecing together my kit since I bought my motorcycle in August, now all I need are some pants and riding boots.

I originally wanted some short gloves, supermoto-style. My reasoning was that they look better in a T-shirt. That is probably the most stupid thing I have ever heard. I have yet to actually ride while wearing only a t-shirt, and now that I have a nice jacket, I probably never will. Before I came to that realization, I purchased the Teknic SMT gloves from the Motorcycle Superstore, on sale at a very reasonable price: 19.99 plus shipping.

They are nice gloves, with a large rubbery plastic protector on the top knuckles, and smaller ones of the same material for the digits. They are very breathable because of the thin material used on the between-the-finger area, and vents in the knuckle protector. A little chilly for days colder than 45 degrees or so. The back of the hand is well padded, and the leather and other materialgrippy.

My only major gripe is that I believe that these gloves were made for someone with "meat hands." This is my own technical term for someone with thick, wide palms like beef-steaks, and fingers like sausages (short and fat). I am on the other end of the spectrum. Being 6'1'' and about 155, I have fingers that are long and thin. My hands are big but not especially thick, and until buying these glove, I always thought my palms were large. I usually wear a large glove, so I followed the recommendations of previous buyers ("get one size larger") and bought them in XL. I returned them the next day because the fingers were used on the palm are supple and way too short, and prevented movement. It's too bad, because the body of the glove fit great. So, I got the XXL rather than trying another brand of glove and going through the whole ordeal again.

The XXLs were still a hair short in the fingers, but have since loosened up. The body of the glove is definitely a little too large, and I must use the hook-and-loop wrist strap to tighten them past the point where the loops are, and stick it to the material of the glove body.

So, overall I would rate these gloves great if you have fat hands and want a short glove. However, if you have long fingers, I would suggest looking at some other brand or model. If possible try before you buy. Even if you try in a shop and buy from the internet, know the product you are purchasing. There is nothing so infuriating than buying a pair of bargain gloves instead of the ones you wanted, only to spend the money saved on return shipping to get the right size.

I think I will always be on the search for that perfect glove, and be destined to only find it when I don't have the money to afford a pair. Also, I am definitely looking for a gauntlet style glove now. Suggestions anyone?

Gear Review! Shoei RF-1000 Joust Helmet

With the recent purchase of my motorcycle, it was only fitting that I also purchase a new helmet. In fact in was mandatory. My old helmet - the one I wear on the scooter - is a 10 year old Bieffe that was too large in the first place. While riding my FZR it would move around on my head from the wind buffeting it at any speeds over 45 mph. Not a good thing.

I searched for a long time, trying to find the best price. I honestly wanted an Arai, but the the price was just too steep even for a lower end model, and I wasn't willing to buy used even if I had found one. Although I would still consider buying a yellow and red Colin Edwards replica from 2001, or a blue and red from 2002 if I could find one, but only for collecting.



I finally realized that all of the best helmet deals come from Competition Accessories, based out of Ohio. After doing a ton of reading, I settled on a Shoei RF-1000. For the money (you can choose from a great selection of graphics for $299), I don't think there is a better helmet on the market.

It has two brow vents with two opening positions available, one chin vent for defogging the visor and providing fresh air, and dual vents in the nifty rear spoiler that can be opened and closed with one central switch. The visor is easily removed and replaced; in fact, I have already replaced the stock, clear visor with a lightly tinted one. The liner and cheekpads are simple to remove for washing, and the cheekpads can be replaced with larger or smaller ones (not included) to custom fit the helmet to your face.

Fit and finish is impeccable: the graphics are beautiful, and everything looks great. This helmet has none of the little knit-picky issues that I tend to have with everything I buy. I love it. It even came with a removable breath-guard and air deflector for the chin. Unfortunately, I wear glasses, so the breath-guard just redirects the fog to my glasses, which is much worse. And the last road trip that I took (more on this in a future post) I forgot the air deflector, which would have helped a lot with the coldness blowing up under my chin.

I have a rather long shaped head (front to back) and that was one of the reasons I bought this helmet. It fits very well, with no movement at all. On the road, it is extremely quiet and very easy on the head. However, it should be noted that I wear ear-plugs when riding, as no helmet can eliminate the decibels of a screaming exhaust note.

I would highly recommend this helmet as an alternative to the exorbitantly expensive Arai helmets; but as of now, I have never even placed an Arai bucket on my head. My opinion may change after that experience. Maybe someone could help me out with that? Shoei is world renowned, and at the very least, on a level with Arai for quality. Consider spending a little more than you would on a top of the line KBC or the like, you will find it is well worth it. X-speed helmets seem decent as well, but again, never tried one. Hope someone finds this review helpful!

Here is what the manufacturer says about the RF-1000:

Aerodynamic Shell Design is maximized through extensive wind tunnel and rider testing The Aero Stabilizer dramatically reduces drag and lift coefficients, thus diminishing rider fatigue and increasing performance Two-layer liner offers unmatched ventilation with internal channels and exhaust ports throughout the helmet Integrated Upper Air Intake minimizes air turbulence and maximizes air stream in all riding positions Outlet holes in the Aero Stabilizer allow warm air to be exhausted The lower air intake provides an additional source of air flow The neck outlet vent allows for effective air exhaust Lightweight, Advanced Integrated Matrix Plus (AIM) High performance fiber materials are combined with extremely elastic organic fibers to create a shell structure that is ultra lightweight, rigid and resilient Anti-Fog System The lower air intake provides air flow that helps to diminish shield fog 3D Interior Liner Removable interior cheek pads available in optional sizes for a custom fit Chin strap cover can easily be removed to allow for cleaning or replacement CX-1 V Shield and Lock System w/ Q.R.B.P. (Quick -Release Base Plate) allows tool-less shield removal A wide, 3-dimensionally curved shield offers increased peripheral vision and optical clarity Scratch-resistant coating 100% protection from harmful UV A&B rays A pre-set lever can easily lock the shield in place to prevent it from opening unexpectedly TECHNICAL INFORMATION Standards: DOT 218, Snell-M2000 Construction: AIM (Advanced Integrated Matrix Plus) materials Weight: 3.24 lbs /1470 grams (approx.)

Upcoming Gear Reviews: Fieldsheer Congo Sport jacket, Cortech Sport Tailbag, Meguiars ScratchX 2.0, Battery Tender Jr.

Coming in the next few weeks: A full review of all the products listed above. Stay tuned!

On open letter to Andrew Trevitt of Sport Rider Magazine

Dear Mr. Trevitt,
First off, let me tell you that I am extremely sorry to hear about the accident that you were involved in. Though this type of thing happens everyday, it does not lessen the severity of the issue at hand. An accident of this type can happen to even the best educated, best equipped motorcyclists in the world when a car driver does not take an extra second to look twice - once for cars, a second time for motorcycles.

I am an avid motorcyclist, and have been since I first threw my leg over my (soon-to-be) first bike - a Kawasaki EX500 - at the age of 18. When it gets in your blood, it seems to be there to stay. A few months after purchasing my first and second bikes (a Yamaha FZR 600 that followed the Ninja into my garage within a few weeks), I fell on hard times and had to sell both. I then spent the better part of 6 years without a bike. I passed much of that time working at a bike shop: a truly unique form of self-inflicted torture when you don't have a bike, I assure you. During that time, a fellow co-worker lost his life on his beloved YZ125. Even though it was a tragedy, everyone at the bike shop kept in the back of their minds that he had at-least died doing what he loved. His accident was the result of a temporary lapse in judgment, and in some ways, that softened the blow, in others ways, it made it much worse.

I have recently acquired another FZR 600 that I ride constantly. I never fail to accept the possibility of the worst as I put my helmet on, as do you, I am sure. A motorcyclist must know that every time she or he swings a leg over their bike, they may not dismount as gracefully, no matter how hard they try to avoid an accident. There are many reasons for this: gravel, misjudgment, and overconfidence to name a few. However, the worst reason (and probably the most common) is the intrusion of an automobile into one's lane of travel, resulting in an unavoidable obstacle, and a horrific crash.

An event such as this, when a rider of obviously high levels of skill and ability is struck down by an unobservant motorist (doing something illegal in this case), is a time for us all to reflect on a few basics of motorcycle safety. First and foremost, your accident should be a message to every rider, be it dirt or tarmac that calls to you: we are all mortal.

Secondly, even though I am sure you were adorned with the proper equipment, we should all realize that to ride with anything less than the absolute best safety gear we can afford is to unnecessarily increase the risk that we might not come home. An accident can happen a block from your house (research shows that most do, in fact), and a quick run to the store should require the same precautions as a cross-country road trip.

Lastly, one must always assume that the motorist does not see you, for often they don't. Even with precautions such as this, sometimes it is impossible to avoid. So, as you recover, with thousands of motorcyclists alongside you in that hospital bed, we should all take these three basic lessons to heart. More importantly, however, we must not let the fear of what might happen rob us of something that we are all so passionate about.

Perhaps the most important thing we can do is educate our car-driving friends and acquaintances about the need to be constantly vigilant for vehicles with two wheels, with which they are required by law to share the road. Motorcycles are smaller than cars and we that ride them are much more vulnerable than someone riding in a 4000 lb. steel box. As such, our presence should demand an appropriately larger portion of motorists' attention.

None of what I say is news to you, I know. However, there are many motorcyclists that may not know these basic principles, and through your experience, take them to heart.

I wish you a speedy and thorough recovery. May the thoughts and prayers of so many motorcyclists and friends see you through this difficult period. Be well in spirit, while you get well in body.

Very sincerely yours,
Jesse Phillip Cecil

On Honda: remarks concerning their past and present involvement in moto-roadracing

My family and I have cumulatively owned 3 cars, 1 scooter, 2 motorcycles, 2 lawnmowers, a weed-eater, and a generator all designed and produced by the well-known automotive giant, Honda. I have always found Honda to produce intuitive, easy to maintain, wonderfully engineered products with a longevity rivaled by few other companies. I recommend a Honda product to anyone that is looking for an all around good machine that will do the job for which it was designed, without fault.

However, in my knowledge of the motorcycle roadracing world - which has been gleaned from almost 8 years of diligently poring over any magazine, book, and internet site on the subject - I have found Honda (particularly the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC)) to be less than loyal to its racers and fans. This is a pretty strong statement, coming from a lifelong supporter of Honda products, so let me provide a few examples of the attitude which prompted me to put forth such an accusation.

1.) Colin Edwards and World Superbike: Facing a scattered factory Ducati Corse squad in 2000 on a then-new RC-51, Colin won the WSBK championship for HRC. In 2001, as Ducati put their garage back in order, centered around their new lead rider, Troy Bayliss, Colin could not overcome the chatter problems that plagued the RC-51 that year, but still put up a good fight while losing the championship to Bayliss. The following year (2002) went down in history as a season-long battle between two riders at the peak of their game. Bayliss won nearly every race during the beginning of the season, Colin won nearly every race towards the end of the season. It all came down to the Battle at Imola, which any true race fan will never forget. The result was Colin winning a second World Superbike championship for HRC, with Bayliss a close second.

One would think that Edwards' accomplishments for HRC would have put him in the running for the HRC MotoGP ride that had opened for the 2003 season, especially considering that Bayliss was destined to make the switch as well, aboard the new Ducati Desmosedici. It would have been great to see their battles continue on the MotoGP stage for a couple of years. However, much to my chagrin, that was not to be.

In a prime example of Honda betrayal (and loyalty- more on that later), the ride was given to rising star, Nicky Hayden. Hayden was the youngest ever champion of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Superbike Championship (2002), and former AMA Supersport champion (1999). Although Hayden should definetly have been given the opportunity for bigger and better things, it is my humble opinion that Hayden should have been given Edwards' seat in WSBK where he could have learned the European tracks and honed his abilities on a superbike, while Edwards should have been rewarded for his two world championships with the vacant MotoGP ride. However, perhaps because of the large sum of American Honda money that would accompany Hayden to MotoGP, HRC dumped Edwards, who was forced to take a substandard ride on the new (and ultimately doomed) Aprilia RS Cube.

Edwards' season was dismal, and Nicky Hayden failed to produce a win until 2005, while the his championship didn't arrive until the following season. This was, I firmly believe, because Hayden was still learning the tracks and the lifestyle, both of which he could have adjusted to in WSBK, while boosting his confidence and perhaps earning another championship. Meanwhile, had Edwards been given the best bike in the paddock (the Repsol Honda RC211V), it is possible that he could have produced the results that Hayden couldn't at first. Unfortunately, we will never know.

2.) Nicky Hayden and MotoGP: Don't let my comments mislead you though, Nicky Hayden is a great rider that deserves everything he has gotten. Beyond riding ability, Nicky has a work ethic and easygoing nature that should be imitated by all top-caliber motorcycle riders.
While Nicky's elevation to MotoGP was a reward for two national championships with American Honda (Supersport and Superbike), he was also destined to get the HRC knife placed firmly between his shoulder blades.

During the 2006 season in which he won the championship, Hayden was under pressure to perform. He had been with the HRC squad for quite some time in MotoGP, and many thought he should have done better with the equipment at his disposal. Perhaps because of this, HRC placed him in a developmental position throughout the season, trying out new parts on his bike constantly, while new-hire Dani Pedrosa rode Valentino Rossi's former championship-winning version of the RC211V (one year removed, as Rossi won the title on a Yamaha in 2005).

While riding a frame designed for the next-generation 800cc MotoGP bike, which was significantly smaller than what Nicky preferred, he won the championship for HRC. In spite of all that his detractors had to say against him, Nicky earned the championship by placing ahead of Rossi in the last race of the season at Valencia, which was won by Troy Bayliss on a wildcard Ducati ride in reward for his 2nd World Superbike Championship.

The next season, the first of the 800cc era, one would have expected HRC to sidle up to Hayden, and provide him with whatever he needed to defend his (and their) championship. Ou contraire, mon fraire. HRC instead produced a motorcycle obviously designed for the much smaller Pedrosa, and Hayden was pushed (figuratively speaking) to the back of the HRC garage. To date, Dani has not produced a championship (though he has produced controversy by influencing another HRC betrayal - of longtime partner Michelin tires - when he demanded Bridgestone tires mid-season, a move rendered pointless by the adoption of Bridgestone as the control-tire for the 2009 season), while Hayden has moved to the factory Ducati squad. Marlboro Ducati was very quick to snap Hayden up, in obvious recognition of his skills, a nice switch from the treatment he received from HRC. It should be noted that Hayden, throughout this whole affair, was hardly ever anything other than gracious and humble in his referral to HRC and their treatment of him.

3.) American Honda steps out: Following the controversy over Daytona Motorsport Group's (DMG) purchase and subsequent revamp of the AMA superbike Championship, the proposed participation of the manufacturers has been on-again, off-again at best. However, shortly after assuring all their staff and employees (including contracted riders) that American Honda was going racing in 2009, and barely a week after American Honda rider Niel Hodgson posted the best lap times during the Daytona Dunlop Tire Test, Honda announced that they would not be participating in American roadracing for this year, due to "current global economic situation and its impact on Honda." While that is understandable, it is (in my mind) just one more example of Honda saying one thing while doing another. If everything was that uncertain, it would seem prudent to hold off on assuring employees that they all had jobs for 2009.

I want to close by saying that I still love Honda products, and that I continue to believe that they make some of the best cars and motorcycles that money can buy. Also, it should be noted HRC regularly promotes riders that have shown loyalty to them (Andrea Dovizioso, Dani Pedrosa, and many more), and that other companies are also perpetrators of the kinds of betrayal mentioned here. A prime example: Ducati pawned Troy Bayliss off to Camel Honda in 2005 after one poor season on a still-developing bike. Bayliss returned to MotoGP for one round, the aforementioned Valencia 2006, and won on the same bike, albeit with a one more year of development time.
So, HRC is not the only monster in the paddock, but perhaps they are the biggest.

As a student of Japanese history, I think it is also pertinent to mention that Japanese lords have never been as loyal to their warriors as their warriors were to them, and Japanese culture is still very heavy on tradition.

- This article is an original work by the author of this blog. However, all pictures were shamelessly taken from a google image search without permission. No money was gained from this reproduction, and the pictures can be removed upon receipt of a request made via comments.

More FZR work...

Addendum to the FZR story. I followed up on what I said I would do. I have cut the rear fender by about an inch or two with my new Dremel, drilled a few holes in it for the license plate, and mounted the plate straight to the newly shortened fender. I used large rubber washers in between the plate and fender to avoid vibration and movement. The new design requires the plate to curve a little, but I like it.

The next thing I did was kind of crafty, but I must say that the idea was not original, I found it on the FZR archives. I removed the rear long-stalk turn signals, and removed the stalks from the body of the blinker. Then I took the stalk to Lowe's and found a bolt that matched the threading from the stalk, that way I could use the original nut and avoid any conflict with reinstalling the blinker-body. I took the two bolts to a machine shop down the road, and for 5$, had them lathe a hole through the center of each bolt. I attached the bolt directly to the blinker-body and the fender, thus replacing the stalk altogether and shortening each turn signal by over 1.5 inches. The combination of the fender chop and the shortened turn signals really tightened up the back end, and made the bike look a lot more sleek.

Other things I have done recently are:
Purchased and installed Flanders Canadian FZR flushmount turn signals. It was a super easy install, except that I discovered that as a result of a drop by the previous owner, one of my turn signals was hard wired to the harness (read: no easy disconnect). So I had to buy some connectors and rewire both the turn signal and the harness. No biggie, but it was a pain nonetheless (and as I was doing it, I kept thinking, "Shit, now I can't return these!"). But the signals look great, and better than stock (though you wouldn't know that they aren't OEM, and neither will the state inspector).

I also purchased a few sets of knock off Yamaha tuning fork decals from Hong Kong (via eBay) that actually look just like the ones that come stock on the newer R6 and R1. I put one on each side of the gas tank, and you wouldn't know they weren't stock. Also, I purchased a raised metallic "Yamaha" decal for placement on the front of the fairing in the stock position, it also looks like OEM or better.
I will add pictures of these last things at some point, I just don't have any right now, and the weather is to bad to take some.

Lastly, I have winterized my bike by filling it up with gas, adding Sta-bil fuel stabilizer, and running it for about ten minutes. I go out and start it every time the temp gets above 40 F outside, and run it till it warms up to clear the bugs out. Surprisingly, since I added the Sta-bil, the bike starts up on the first try even when it is cold as hell! It didn't even do that from a cold-start during the summer. I highly recommend this product!
A Battery Tender Jr. is hopefully on the way as a Christmas present, but I haven't had any battery problems so far.

I did get to take a brief ride yesterday. All I can say is, "I LOVE MY MOTORCYCLE!!!"

New Motorcycle

Got a bike finally! Bought it from the photographer at our wedding. It's an FZR 600, same as my old one, except without all the purple (and in better shape).

1990 Black FZR600R: Vance and Hines full supersport system, 13k miles, new chain, new brakes, new black paint, engine and frame decently repainted silver, fairly new IRC Winner (I think) tires. Got it for $1400 dollars, I thought it was a pretty good deal. Especially since I sold my old FZR for $1400 dollars and it didn't even run.

I discovered a few problems with my bike before I purchased it, and a few more afterward. I gave a it a pretty decent look over, and got a test ride before I bought it.
As you can see above, the windshield was missing a few bolts, and the fairing bolts were all mismatched. Also, the fairing brackets from the radiator and the lower frame rails were missing, and had been replaced with a type of threaded rod, holding the two side fairings together.

It was terrible work, and had one side pressed up against the header pipe. I noticed when I got home and smelled melting plastic (Lo, and behold)!

Fixed that by simply taking the fairings off. I like it better that way, more like a naked bike, read: FZ6, etc. I have since bought all the fairing brackets and a complete fairing bolt kit in flat black (that took care of the windshield bolts, too).

Other things I did: replaced a few missing bolts around the fuel cap, brought the taillight in about 3/4 of an inch by reversing the mounting grommmets, cleaned the shit out of it, and repainted the header pipes with black header paint.

Also, had a 13k mile Yamaha service and the fork seals re-done professionally, as they were leaking whenever I pumped the suspension hard repeatedly. I requested that 20 weight Yamalube fork oil be put back into my forks to stiffen the front-end somehwhat. They called me when the forks were already off the bike and said they "couldn't find any 20 weight", so they were just putting 10 back in. No big deal, except that they had to order the fork seals, and I specifically requested 20w oil, so couldn't they have just ordered the right oil for me as well? I just thought it was crappy.

Then when I picked up the bike, they said that everything looked good except that my steering head bearings were going to have to be replaced soon, to the tune of $250. I was thinking, Couldn't you have told me while the front end was already off the bike, so I could OK the repair then and save some money? Oh well, take care of those bearings another day I guess.

The last thing I did was try to replace my cracked stator cover.
When I took it off, and tried to remove the stator from the inside, I stripped the heads of the phillips button head screws holding the stator wire to the inside of the cover... damn!
So, I went to unplug the stator from the wiring harness and discovered that the plug was all f-ed up and melted together with corrosion on the inside.

I ordered up the screws that I stripped out, and bought an Alden Grabit Damaged screw remover. It worked like magic, and pulled the screws right out.
Still, I had the problem of maybe having to buy a wiring harness and stator because of a stupid plastic plug.

When I started poking around on the FZR Archives forum, asking for plugs from non-functioning parts that I could wire on, someone suggested that I splice on a 4-prong flat trailer plug.


Having never soldered before, I bought a soldering gun and practiced on some old speaker wire for an hour before I did the deed.

I did the stator half of the soldering first, and used shrink wrap and electrical tape to make sure









the joint was sealed tightly from the elements. Then I attached it to the new stator cover with the new screws.

I did the other half of the wiring pretty quickly, and forgot to take good pictures of the joints. You can pretty much see whats going on though.














Afterward, I plugged it all in, replaced the stator and cover, tucked all the new and old wires away with a few zip-ties (I had to cut a few to get access to it all), connected the battery, and it fired right up.













Took it for a 35 minute ride and everything seemed fine, though I don't know how long it would take for signs to show that the stator is not functioning. I guess once the battery ran dead?

Anyway, so for now I am done, and my bike runs, and I need to leave well enough alone to let my pocket recoup.

Next are the the steering head bearings.

I would like to also do something about the huge stock front and rear tail-lights. I Think I am going to get Flanders' flushmounts for the front, and would like to integrate the rear, but am unsure of the process with a trailer light converter. I've looked at one, but am still unsure of how to use it in this application. Also, don't want super fast flashers on the front or rear, so need to figure that bit out.

Also going to cut the stock fender by about two inches, remove the licence plate bracket, and mount the plate directly onto the reduced fender to emulate an eliminator kit, just waiting on my Dremel.

The Band-Aid Budget, and further misdirection.

The article below and accompanying links should be read before this post, because it sets the stage for many of the things I am going to talk about. I will try to keep this brief.
First, many people, upon reading this post, will say, "Wait a second, didn't Bush just announce a huge budget increase for the National Park Service for fiscal year 2008? This guy is full of shit, man!" Actually, the Bush administration is full of shit, as usual.
What is actually happening is a big PR spin. See, the 100th anniversary of our National Parks is coming up, and Bushie-woo wants to make it seem like he cares about our natural resources, so he has increased the budget of the parks by almost exactly 1/2 the amount of money the War in Iraq uses every day, while promising increases down the road in a future where he will not be in office. Simultaneously, he has continued to fund the other natural resource management departments at the same level (or less) for the past 5 years, with no changes to account for inflation.
In 2006, a study by the Congressional Research Service, which provides nonpartisan research and analysis to lawmakers, estimated that the maintenance backlog (defined as scheduled or planned maintenance that has not been performed) ranges from 5.8 to 12.42 billion. Much needed repairs to bridges and roads into and out of the park alone exceed $3bil. The annual budget shortfalls for our parks are between 600-800 million dollars. So basically, his national park plans are just one more example of the administration giving us the big fat one right in the pooper, while making it look like they are doing us a favor. It all looks great until you actually do some research and see that the numbers just don't add up. But your average American won't know the difference, and the rest won't do anything about it. After all, Grey's Anatomy is on tonight!
Recently a couple got lost in Rocky Mountain National Park, they were doing a one night backpacking trip from one trailhead to another. After two or three days, their family formed a search party. They were eventually found on a cliffside, lost. What happened? Well, the trail they were following crossed a river, and the bridge had been washed out sometime in the past 5 years or so of underfunding. It of course wasn't posted, the couple reported "seeing no signs," and so when their trail ended they figured they had gotten lost and tried some fishing trails. They eventually got rim-rocked, where they couldn't go up or down. That is where they were found.
Because of underfunding, these people who just wanted to enjoy our national parks almost lost their lives. There were no signs posting the trail, warning that the bridge was out, no suggested alternate routes, and no Park Ranger to help them out with any of these issues. All of these things are because of a budget shortcomings forced by the Bush Administration and its preoccupation with, "Terror and war, war and terror, and war!"
What about protecting our natural resources, not so that they can be drilled and mined and exploited, but to be enjoyed? What about protecting the folks like that lost couple who just want to enjoy our beautiful nation. Well, I guess no one in the Administration cares for them, because they are just tree-huggers, and the loss of a member of that particular demographic just means one less vote for the other guy, right?
Does no one else see how screwed up our government is? Or does everyone see it, but are made so apathetic by media and spin that they don't do anything about it? What is wrong with this country?

The misdirection: looks good, but means jack!

For further reading, check out the December 2006 Issue of Mens Journal, page 172
Also, If you can get it, the Artical titled : The Future of Public Trust, it Issue #2 of the Wildlife Proffessional, published by the Wildlife Society.

This has been an original angry venting of legitimate concerns that no-one will listen to.

Our National Parks get the SHAFT!! (Thanks to Bush)

Millions of Americans will flock to the country's national parks this summer. Dazzled by nature and history, will they notice the missing signs, crumbling roads, or disappearance of park rangers?
Facing what some people warn is a "crippling" budget shortfall, many national park superintendents are being asked to consider cutting their ranger staffs, services, and visitor center hours—and possibly even closing down completely on certain days.
Several advocacy groups now charge that the entire National Park System is menaced by a hidden crisis, and that Park Service officials are trying to cover it up.
"Make no mistake about it. There is a chill over the National Park Service today," said Denny Huffman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees in Washington, D.C.The United States' 388 national parks contain more than 18,000 permanent structures, 8,000 miles (12,900 kilometers) of roads, 1,800 bridges and tunnels, 4,400 housing units, 700 water and wastewater systems, 400 dams, and 200 solid-waste operations.
The Park Service values these assets at more than 35 billion U.S. dollars, but for years it has been warning that it has not been able to keep up with the cost of looking after them. The estimated "deferred maintenance backlog" of these facilities is 5 billion dollars, the U.S. General Accounting Office reported to the U.S. Congress last year.

Endangered Rangers
The operating budget for the parks actually increased to 1.61 billion dollars in 2004 from 1.56 billion dollars in 2003. But the increase has been absorbed by rising expenses, Park Service officials say.
Now cuts have to be made.
"We're concerned that the National Park Service is quietly asking superintendents to make cuts in summer operations, such as lifeguards on beaches and closing visitor centers on peak days, weekends, and holidays," Huffman said.
In a new report called "Endangered Rangers," the National Parks Conservation Association, a Washington-based parks watchdog group, said U.S. national parks are underfunded by as much as 600 million dollars a year. It claims the parks are getting just two-thirds of the funding they need, leading to severe staffing shortages and deteriorating park facilities.
In parks across the country, public education programs have been reduced or eliminated, the report says. Historic buildings are allowed to deteriorate, sometimes until ceilings collapse. Priceless museum collections are piled up in damp basements. Wildlife and artifacts are poached.
"America's national park rangers have become an endangered species," said the association's president, Thomas Kiernan.

"Service Level Adjustments"
Some critics charge that the National Park Service is purposely misleading the public and media about the cuts.
On Wednesday, a group of former park officials released an internal National Park Service memo distributed last month to park superintendents in the Northeast Region.
A copy of the memo, with the sender's name blanked out, is published on the Web site of the Campaign to Protect America's Lands. The memo states that "the majority of Northeast Region Parks are beginning this fiscal year with fewer operating dollars" than in 2003. Additionally, it says, staff costs and rising fixed costs have further eroded operating dollars.
"It is now time … to determine what actually has to happen to stay within the funds you have been allocated," the memo said.
The memo suggested possible cuts—"just examples"—that superintendents could consider:

• "Close the visitor center on all federal holidays."
• "Eliminate life guard services at 1 of the park's 3 guarded beaches."
• "Eliminate all guided ranger tours."
• "Let the manicured grasslands grow all summer."
• "Turn 1 of our 4 campgrounds over to a concession permittee."
• "Close the park every Sunday and Monday."
• "Close the visitor center for the months of November, January & February."

The e-mail memo urges park superintendents not to directly use the phrase "this is a cut" in press releases about such service reductions. "We all agreed to use the terminology of 'service level adjustment' due to fiscal constraints as a means of describing what actions we are taking," the memo said.
In a telephone interview David Barna, a spokesperson for the National Park Service, said there is "no reason to think the memo was not authentic." The memo was sent on February 20 by Chrysandra Walter, the deputy director of the Park Service's Northeast Region division.
The alliance of advocacy groups that disclosed the memo—the Coalition of Concerned National Park Retirees, the Association of National Park Rangers, and the Campaign to Protect America's Lands—also criticized the National Park Service for firing U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa C. Chambers in December of last year after she complained publicly about budget shortfalls.
"There's now a culture of fear in the Park Service," said Laurel Angell of the Campaign to Protect America's Lands. "Everyone is afraid to disclose budget cuts."

Shifting Priorities
The Park Service's Barna dismissed the charge that his agency is hiding program cuts from the public. He said superintendents are simply asked to inform main offices if they are closing down any major services.
"We don't want any surprises," he said. "We don't want someone to go on television, locking the front gate to the park and saying, 'We're out of money, we're closed.'"
Barna agreed that the National Park Service is now operating "on the edge," and that service cutbacks may happen. "Certainly we recognize that our operating budgets are tight," he said.
In recent years the agency has had to absorb costs that were out of its control, Barna says. Last year, it spent 50 million dollars on fighting forest fires and 150 million dollars on recovering from Hurricane Isabel.
Homeland security is also expensive. Each change in the color-coded U.S. Homeland Security Advisory System from yellow to orange costs the National Park Service a million dollars a month, as, for example, additional rangers are brought in to protect national landmarks.
"We'd be remiss in our duties if we didn't protect these monuments," Barna said. "If something were to happen to the Lincoln Memorial while we were not watching it, that would be devastating. Our priorities have absolutely shifted."

http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlands/wildlandsatrisk/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600612.html

-The above article is a CutNPaste Prodiction of an article from a few years ago on the National Geographic Website, I have included links to more recent articles, but I think it is important to note the state of things before Bush announced his "Band-Aid Budget" for parks this year.