I left home around 10 a.m. and took a slightly meandering route.  The best road I hit on the way to the Hall was Ohio Route 60 between Killbuck and Warsaw.  I think I had about 130-140 miles in by the time I got to the Hall.  The weather was good but overcast for a good portion of the ride there.

Pickerington is just SE of Columbus, OH, on Ohio Route 256.  The AMA Hall and offices are just off Route 204 in eastern Pickerington.  Admission is $5 for AMA members, and $10 for non-member adults.  The Hall is not huge, maybe not even very big really, but it is packed with historic bikes and a few replicas.  The top floor is the Hall of Fame, with many posters of the inductees, motorcycles, and other displays on hand.  The gift shop is also at this level.  The lower floor is the Museum, which features some historic machines, space for their current special exhibit (which at the moment is motorcycles in the fine arts), and a small area with tables and chairs that includes a couple soda and snack machines - and a TV there playing "On Any Sunday".  I took a break there and mapped out my route home.

I think I spent a couple hours total at the Hall, including my down time relaxing and mapping my ride back.  It's a pleasant place, with covered motorcycle parking off to the side.  I'm really not into vintage motorcycles, and am I definitely not an off-road rider, and that is a lot of what the Hall offers.  Lots of dirt-track stuff, too.  I've wanted to visit the Hall ever since I became an AMA member in 2006, and I had a good time touring the Hall, but I think it would take a special exhibit to get me back there.  Or maybe if I ever become more interested in vintage motorcycles.  Don't get me wrong - there are some very cool things at the Hall, and it was definitely worth the visit, but it's geared more toward earlier racers, older racing eras, vintage bikes, motorcross, and dirt-track.  If you have a deep appreciation of these things, you'll probably love the Hall.  The gift shop has some nice items, mugs, posters, t-shirts, etc.  I bought a couple pewter Christmas tree ornaments just before I left the Hall.

I left Pickerington a few minutes after 4 pm - or just in time for the start of rush hour traffic coming from Columbus (groan), and made my way east to hit some nice SE Ohio twisties before heading north toward home.  I love riding the roads in SE Ohio, but you have to constantly watch for gravel, dirt, critters (dead and alive), iffy pavement, and (in some areas) horse crap from the Amish buggies and wagons.  Some of the roads down there are really terrific.  They may not rival the best roads in NC, TN, and VA, but I've found some great ones in SE Ohio.  During the ride home on Monday, I found two new roads I plan to hit again in the future - Ohio Routes 669 and 513.  I had one "Oh poop!" moment on the way back when I encountered gravel in the middle of a blind right-hander - in the shadows, too, of course.  The rear wheel slipped an inch or two, and my heart skipped a beat, but I came through unscathed.  (Better to be lucky than good sometimes!)  The weather for the ride home was amazing - sunny and 80F, dipping down into the 60s when the sun went down.  I got back later than I'd hoped, but it was worth the long detour to SE Ohio.

I had a great day on and off the bike, visited a neat place, rode some nice twisties, and totaled 400 miles for the trip.  Also, the whole day cost me less than $50 for fuel, drinks, snacks, and Hall admission.  12 hours of fun for under $50?  That's a bargain in my book!  

harrison weather

My consolation for missing Tmac.  Adam79, get ready to ride!

Primo

Just wanted to say welcome, and how much I love my new bike/first bike! Its a 2001 Vfr red in color, although the plastics were updated and now the red on the tank and rear seat cowl are a different shade. Altogether it is in gorgeous shape, I bought it off of my step dads friend who just went through everything, adjusted valves, new tires, fork seals, sprockets, everything! Even have the old plastics and tinted wind screen. I am BIG into the tuner/car scene so thats where I get my fast driving out. I just love cruising around on her. Everything is stock besides the K&N air filter and a slip on two brothers high mount exhaust. She has almost 28k miles on her and runs like she is brand new.

I ordered up a new shorty slip on (heard delkevic slip ons are pretty good for the price) and they look unique so I figured what the heck, also ordered a tank protector. As for future mods I can't really say, I'd like to look into more flush mounted possibly led directionals, as well as a fender eliminator kit. Then its just little things, new matching paint, Powdercoated wheels to match all the silver aluminum.

I am very new to working on bikes so please bare with me!!! As I will have plenty of questions! Pics are soon to come.

Safe riding!

Nate

Rear outer fender (to be cut back for fender "elimination")

Right hand mirror

Right hand switch assembly (kill switch is broken and gone)

Air box assembly

There will be more, but that's all I can think of right now.  If you would like to entertain trading parts for powder coating services, I can do that too.  Go to www.tomscyclerecycling to see some of my work.

Thanks.

It has occured to me that I need to adjust my chain, and all I can find is people doing it while on the center stand... problem is my centerstand is off and I heard it is a super B**** to do...

I believe the chain needs to be adjusted because even on the side stand, i can push the chain up to the swing arm without really any effort at all. I can even get a few links to touch on the swing arm. New front and rear sprockets were put on by the previous owner (stepdad's friend from work) He probably didn't even realize it was loose. Also I don't have the factory tool kit, so where can I get the wrench to adjust it, and will I need to put my centerstand on?

On another note I already put on 250mi in the first 2 1/2 days of owning it. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE BIKE!!!

Thanks guys/girls! Again, sorry if it's a newbie question.

Nate

Before and After pics below.

.

Now i had someone offer me an gen 5 98 with only 800 miles.  stated original owner, new tires, corbin and pipe, manual.    800 miles, i can't even understand that for being that old, and then almost 2000 dollars more than nada.  Should i even consider something like this?

i thought bikes of this age 98, 02 for example would have tons of miles.  VFR's usually have quite a lot, we are not talking a drz 400 ridden a couple times a year.

At the end of the day i just don't want to was cash, want plug and play for the most part.  Understanding that i will have to do some stuff.   Asking about miles i guess is like asking about chevy or ford or what oil is best.

http://www.motorcycletire.com/product/carrozzeria-vtrack-VFR800.html

Sure they will be worth more than half of the bike's value but

The bike runs fine, dash is just completely dark. 

Was hoping it was just a blown fuse, checked all fuses, including the two mains and the three under the panel near the clutch lever. None of them are blown. 

Any ideas how to go about fixing this?

http://nealebaylyrides.com/

..or one long BMW commercial.