For those of you with riding seasons

I'm on the road for work this week (again) but may be starting to realize how folks who actually have riding seasons get tormented by the weather "persons".  I'm in northern Tennessee/southern Kentucky this weekend and the forecast was supposed to be cold and wet this week.  Well, they were partially right-Nashville got about 1 inch of rain yesterday, but today has been dry and about 60.  Not perfect riding weather, as I'm sure it will cool off a bit tonight and the sun will likely set pretty early too.  However, definitely a riding day, as evidenced by the many bikes I saw parked on base and riders on the way in this morning.

So how do you decided to winterize your bike in a place like this?  Do you wait a week or two too long, or risk winterizing the first available weekend then having to wonder if re-doing it worth a day or two of riging?  I know I'd likely wait until the last minute, both to ride and because I'm a bit lazy!  Then I'd probably say, "Forget it." and just run the bike occassionally and never winterize.

So what do you do?

Smoky Mountain Knife Works-Shameless plug with an enticement (Free gift with purchase until 11/18)

OK fellow bikers, here's the deal:

I'm an affiliate marketer for a few companies I feel offer good products at fair prices that would be of interested to readers of my blogs.  I endorse the companies and add links to their websites to my blog pages.  You, my loyal reader(s), (yes possibly just one!) see an ad that interests you, clicks on the banner ad, and can shop at a business that interests you.  In return, I get a small commission based on the purchases you make per the agreement in effect with that particular company.

One of those companies is Smoky Mountain Knife Works and SOG Knives.  Every biker needs at least one knife, and most of us own many more.  Smokey Mountain Knife Works is currently running an offer that if you spend at least $75 you get a free stocking stuffer gift with your purchase.  All you have to do is click the ad at the bottom of the page, enter code "PIC13".  For at least $75 in purchases, you get a Winchester folding knife.  Spend over $100 and you get a combination set of a Colt knife and survival bracelet.  At $125, you get a Colt X-1 Tactical Tomahawk.

Pretty cool deal, but this offer only lasts until 11/18/13 so shop now!

Concours motorcycle maintenance project grew by three, so it got postponed

This weekend I was going to take the front fairing off the Connie, pull the gas tank, and adjust the steering head bearing.  Well as I started looking at it, I realized everything short of doing the radiator coolant change would have to be done (getting all the mutual obstructions out of the way, etc.) and an oil change too since we had wrestled Miss Swail (get it?) up on the centerstand.

So I look around the garage inventoring fluids, filters and then check how much time this would take compared to what other commitments I had before traveling for work again.  Hmmm.

I'm never a fan of leaving a bike disassembled, so I have decided to make this a Thanksgiving week project.  The Sportster is running fine, and I have some holiday hours to burn.  Anyone up for some mechanical fellowship in a few weeks?