Q-Dawg

FOR SALE: 2010 VFR1200F, located in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta CANADA. (Cheapest price currently posted on a 1200F on the site across Canada) Price is a little lower for forum people: $6000 CDN (obo) PM me for details, or hit me up on FB messenger (Quennel Delhomeau). Ad with pics is posted on kijiji Well I pulled the trigger on a 7th gen last year when I found a decent deal on one with all the luggage. Love the bike (but kept my 6th gen as it has different character that i love) and I have enjoyed riding the big 1200 on a few trips this summer. I have no intentions of selling the 7th gen, as it has been everything I expected it to be, but I found a great deal on a bike with much lower mileage while I was out on a trip. So the higher mileage bike has to go. It is bone stock except for Bazazz Z Bomb, has flapper disconnected in muffler, everything works as far as I know. Has a few scratches from previous owners but looks good from a few feet away. Mileage is 55,500 km or about 34,500 mi. Tires are Bridgestone and OK. Factory luggage is available. One back has a crack but was repaired well with fiberglass patch from the rear. Bike is not perfect but price reflects its condition. Could look amazing again with a set of fresh painted eBay fairings. I would have happily kept the bike had I not stumbled on the right "barn find". This bike actually fires up quieter and runs a little smoother than the one that sat a lot. It drives great. Has heated grips with the larger pushbutton switch. I dont NEED to sell it in a hurry but I would love the garage space for wintertime. I haven't posted on the forum in a while but I'm still here.

Thanks for the information sharing. I am literally just now getting around to powder-coating my stuff now and was wondering how to do this without damaging the parts. Needed to figure out the clear window issue before I could drop off parts for coating. Your post will help!

Thank you for the reminder, Derek. Knew I was forgetting something lately. Just booked for Erin and I. See you all there!:)

I voted Custer, as it's marginally closer and Rob and I barely got a taste of it on the way back from SumSum1 and I would love to explore the area more. That being said, I would love Dillon again and want to go back sometime. So either choice is good. I just hope I/we can figure out a way to attend this year as "we" can't bike together anymore. Missed everyone this summer! Not wanting to miss out next year.

Just got back from a second trip through SE corner of Utah and Colorado (SumSum3) and yes fuel stops can be a concern, depending on where you are riding. Is there a particular area of concern? One stretch of road that can test limits a bit is Blanding to Hankseville, UT. Especially if you are trying to do Natural Bridges park. My advice is to experiment a bit with range and consider a fuel container (just in case.) I know the 800 has better range than the 1200, but I had enough extra fuel left after this stretch that I think you ought to be OK even on the 1200. Make sure you fill up on the centerstand for those really hard pushes. Get every once of fuel in there that you can. And the way you ride can affect things too. Slow down a bit on the straights and it helps. Happy to share fuel tips on where to fill up if you have specific route in mind. Rode most of it between this trip and last one in 2012.

Haha! That was me. I mentioned to the gang that I spotted a red Sixth gen passing westward towards Cortez....... Was wondering who it was. Mystery solved. :)

Made it home safe and sound late last night, after a very fun trip and great meet. Thanks again Tony, and to everyone who attended and made it a great time! :)

I'm thinking Erin (Dragonfly) and I will probably do the car museum in Gateway on Wednesday. One attending for sure, she might take a day off the bike and leave me to run solo for the day. Didn't do the museum in 2012...

Take a bow, Mr Seb. Nicely done. Like other posters have mentioned, the closer shots reveal many subtle touches that impress. I sat here for 10 minutes looking the pictures over in detail. It wouldn't be "your" project without the trademark clear clutch cover, hehe. How long did it take to clean up smooth and paint that swing arm? That's two AMAZING streetfighter builds on VFRD this last couple years (yours and apexandy)

I've had hit and miss experiences with various different companies. Usually when I explain a situation like this, I get SOME sort of effort to meet in the middle or help me out, but in these cases, nada, zero, zilch. Even though I sent pictures showing gear that was in showroom condition still, other than the damage in question. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Honestly, I think I would have been done with JR as a company anyhow, simply for the fact that their gear doesn't hold up well over time. In my mind, there's no good reason why gear that has never even seen water or dirt should be falling apart after 6 trips (about 5 days worth of riding on the bike). I almost pulled the trigger on some of the Rev'it gear, they look to be a great company. Great to hear their customer service is good too. BTW, what an interesting username you have........, haha! Reminds me of an old VFRD thread several years ago where everyone was explaining what their username meant. I learned some things from reading that thread, like what a "merkin" is. (lurkinmerkin) Isn't it funny how you remember the useless things in life without any effort?

Held also makes waterproof overgloves similar to the Rev'it ones pictured. Prices don't look too bad ($38 on Revzilla), but you can probably do better elsewhere on the price.

Tried on the Klim Latitude Misano here in Ft Sask (they had last years stuff at clearance price) and it was really nice fitting stuff and felt pretty decent but it seemed like a lot of money for what is basically a technical shell. I think I would be more inclined to buy the Klim gear for riding the KTM, as it seems more adventure oriented, but it is really quality stuff. I especially liked the emergency information pocket on the lower arm: I thought this was a fantastic idea that every manufacturer should adopt. Bought a thermal layer Klim jacket for "the boss" and she really loves it. If I ever decide to go with new gear that has a Gore outer shell, I will probably go with the Rev'it or Klim stuff. Rukka is nice stuff too, but pricey and seems better geared for the cold. That Overland jacket is a nice jacket too and it was on my list for a while

So after a lot of head scratching and looking around, I decided I wanted some better gear this time around. My 3 year old Joe Rocket Alter Ego (Canadian version 11.0) is falling apart at the seams, even though it has seen only moderate use and is well cared for. This news happening on the tail of Erin (Dragonfly's) older Joe Rocket gear falling apart in the same way a year previous (it was almost 8 years old but had been stored indoors and only used 6 times.) Joe Rocket's customer service was about as unhelpful and hostile to me as they could be. Although they were not legally obligated to do anything in either case (warranty was over) I felt that as a loyal customer (I had bought 3 sets of their gear at that point) I deserved some sort of assistance in the matter from their company. They offered absolutely no help in any way, informing me that I was outside their warranty period and that was my tough luck. So I thanked them for their time and informed them I was no longer one of their customers in that case. Fast forward to a month ago: shopping for replacements. Other jacket considerations were the Rev'it Defender, Rev'it Poseidon, Klim Latitude Misano, Dainese D-Explorer, but in the end I kept coming back to the Held Carese II. Maybe it was a poor choice, but I am not crazy about the "crunchy" texture of many of the GoreTex outer shells, and I liked the ability to pull the GoreTex liner out of the Carese and open it up for ventilation. I didn't want huge mesh panels for a couple reasons: hard to care for and clean mesh, did not feel as well protected by mesh, and most importantly I wanted ability to tune my ventilation on the fly with numerous vents rather than large zip-off panels. I got the Held gear order in the mail about a week ago. The following link will take you to my update on the other thread where I updated with my impressions of the Held jacket and pants: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/80281-opinions-on-held-klim-olympia-rukka-riding-gear/page-2 As for the gloves, I was initially going to go with the Held GoreTex products, trying to decide between RaceTex or the Air N Dry gloves, as a do-it-all compromise between a wet weather and dry glove. Then I ended up doing my shopping on the http://www.motoin.de website (these were the best prices I found for the Held products, and reasonable shipping charges, but be warned the customs fees and taxes were high - still a great deal as I saved a few hundred dollars) and I spent enough in total to qualify for a "freebie" set of wet riding gloves (Acerbis Balling glove), so I changed my mind on the Held glove choices and decided to not compromise. I elected to go with a dry weather only option, and liked the Phantom II for its bulletproof protection, while still getting good reviews for comfort. Again, I followed Held sizing advice (sort of) and found myself on the edge of sizing size 9.5 (my hand measurement was 9.25 to 9.5" depending on how I measured - on surface or in the air) so I decided to err on large side and ordered a 10. They are too big. The fingers almost work perfectly, but are a hair too long. Still perfectly comfortable, but the thumb is the biggest issue. Too long by a significant amount. Decided to order the 9.5 and return the 10. I doubt it will fix the thumb completely as the Held Phantom II is known for oversize thumb, but if it is improved by 50% in the thumb fit, it shall be adequate; I would rather have too much room than not enough in the thumb. Ask me how I know. Spent too many days trying to break in some stubborn gloves in thumb area, hand kept going numb. A few wet cycles later, it worked out, but not fun. So this is not my final impression yet, but I expect the Held Phantom II in size 9.5 to fit more like a glove should fit. The size 9.5 is exactly what the Held sizing chart suggested. Oh well, getting the jacket and pants size correct but goofing on the gloves wasn't doing too badly I figure. One other thing to note about the Phantom II is that is is a gauntlet style glove. As a gauntlet, it fails a bit for the following reason: the upper chamber above the wrist is that perfectly wrong size which is exactly the same as my jacket (other people besides me have run into this issue on the Held gloves) and the consequence results in a glove that does not fit easily over, OR under the jacket cuff. But it does work with a little extra effort. Still this glove feels like a quality piece of gear and is easily the most comfortable glove I have thrown onto my hand, beating my broken in current gloves the instant I put it on (keep in mind, this was for the oversized 10, but I expect the 9,5 to be a closer fit without being too tight anywhere), so while I have a couple complaints, they are minor and I only share them for the purposes of keeping others informed on some possible areas of concern in the fitment of these items.

UPDATE: Got my shipment of gear in and the quick impression is WOW! I bought the Held Carese II jacket with Torno II pants. I am 5'10" and weigh 210lbs (I am a bit broader in shoulders, have bigger leg muscles, but an extra 10lbs around the middle) so i used Helds size chart and came up on the higher end of Large sizing. I chose to go with the XL size because of bigger legs and upper body build. Glad I did. It fits perfectly, allowing room for an extra thermal layer if needed, while arm and waist adjustment made things fit like a tailored piece of clothing. Not overly bulky either. The jacket and pants have vents and pockets everywhere, but some of my favorite features are: the zip attachment at the wrist between the jacket and liner, the magnetic latches for pockets and vent flaps, the vents on either side of the main zipper, and chest / leg large triangular vents. The GoreTex inner layer can be removed, and can also fit over the jacket and pants like rain gear, according to Helds literature. I have not tested this yet, but it does look like it should work. I opted for upgraded SasTec armor in the hips and back / coccyx. I used the recommended Held SAKARI, Rückenprotektor 11026868-001 (back/coccyx), as well as SAS-TEC SP-2/20 11018371-001 (hip replacement) and they all fit in their pretty well, except for the back plate which required trimming (with kitchen shears) on the top and both sides. I am confused why Held recommends the Sakari protector when it includes a chassis for the armor plates (not needed in the jacket), and does not fit without trimming. I wonder if there is a more suitable back plate in Held's line-up? Would take some trial and error, but there is probably a better choice. I followed the recommended purchases however. The green SasTec armor does add a bit of thickness and bulk compared to the foam protector, but I think it is totally worth it, and the jacket still feels less bulky than my old JR gear. The pants fit as comfortably and well as the jacket, and they feel MUCH less bulky than my last couple pairs of riding pants, but there are a couple minor complaints: the foot opening is too small and is awkward to open the liner while it is beneath the flare of the outer pants shell (easier to figure out when you watch a product video review). I knew this ahead of time from watching the revzilla vid review, but it is something I can live with. The next complaint had to do with replacement hip armor, which likes to roll/fold itself if handled excessively, making the pants not fit properly when you try to put them back on. Only fix is to open the armor pockets and adjust. Kind of annoying but doesnt happen too often. Hoping some velcro tabs can fix this. Last complaint was the knee armor not having the adjustability I would like. It is marginally too low (when walking I feel it positioned slightly too low) but when on the bike it works OK. There is no further upwards adjustment in the pocket, but I could adjust lower if I wanted (not that it helps me any.) The light grey color will do well in the summer riding heat, and I appreciate the ability to now tune my ventilation more freely as I ride.

I picked up the Alpinestars Gran Torino and very happy with them. First and foremost, they are a riding boot. But they are comfortable all day long, waterproof (Goretex) and easy to walk in. Only gripe is I wish they had a bit more aggressive tread on sole, but a replacement sole can probably fix that too. Pretty good compromise for me, and the most comfortable boot I tried on.

Totally agreed. I only shopped com systems that had the option of using external earbud option. I ride with Shure 215 (have 425 also - crazy clear vocals but not balanced with enough bass) and couldnt be happier. The over the ear pull that these and Westone use are super comfortable and are tougher to pull out when putting your helmet on. And they have large body but it is flat and sits perfectly in the center of the ear. Comfortable to sleep in, so all day in the helmet doesnt bother me with these. I ride with earplugs 100% of the time to protect my hearing, so sound isolating earbuds were really the only decent option to have some quality audio. This allows me to listen at moderate volume, which is plenty clear to hear what is around me. No different than listening to the radio in my car. Did you already pull the plug on ordering the 20S? Yes. Just unboxed yesterday but have not pulled packaging apart or used it yet. Why do you ask?

Well I ordered up the Mono Fuse from Alpinestars, and they arrived a couple days ago. Tried on and they initially seemed like a good fit (but a bit more snug width wise compared to my Sidis), but I kept them on for a while sitting at my computer desk and I could tell they are too tight accross the side and top bridge of my foot. Too narrow! I guess they go back. Going to try on some other choices, but it is looking more like wider boot choices needed.

Looks likes 4-6 amps depending on A-type(blowing) or S-type(sucking) Thanks, my eyes couldn't read that at 2 AM when I read it.... Missed the current column

Well I pulled the trigger on the Held Carese II jacket and Torno II pant. Had everything I needed at a price that was high, yes, but not insane. One of the things I liked about it in the end was that you can (according to Held's product literature) pull the GoreTex liner out and wear it over the top of the jacket / pants. Bye Bye rain gear! Will post up some real impressions when I actually get it and try it out.

How about cold weather performance? I want to know what oil to run when it is so cold your snot freezes in your nose......

Funny, i was actually looking at those spal fans just a few weeks ago and wondering the same thing. I think they could fit / work fine at least on one side, but the biggest unknown for me would be the electrical load they would add to the system, as I didn't see the amp draw listed anywhere I looked.

Q-Dawg and Dragonfly are booked and registered! Looking forward to seeing y'all there!

Totally agreed. I only shopped com systems that had the option of using external earbud option. I ride with Shure 215 (have 425 also - crazy clear vocals but not balanced with enough bass) and couldnt be happier. The over the ear pull that these and Westone use are super comfortable and are tougher to pull out when putting your helmet on. And they have large body but it is flat and sits perfectly in the center of the ear. Comfortable to sleep in, so all day in the helmet doesnt bother me with these. I ride with earplugs 100% of the time to protect my hearing, so sound isolating earbuds were really the only decent option to have some quality audio. This allows me to listen at moderate volume, which is plenty clear to hear what is around me. No different than listening to the radio in my car.

i think it will be between the Alpinestars Gran Torino GTX, Alpinestars Mono Fuse GTX or Dainese Long Range D-WP for me. Hard to choose between GoreTex outer on the Alpinestars vs better sole for walking around in the Dainese. They all seem good. Leaning towards the Alpinestars Mono Fuse.....

decent looking tread and on closeout pricing at the moment too!