Everybody Else's Motorcycles Seem to be Leaving For Alaska...

While I'm still stuck here gettin' ready! ... and seeming to be doing that, three steps forward... two steps back...

First... a word of warning to anybody that's got, or is looking at getting, the Factory Backrest for a Yamaha Raider...

It's a good piece of equipment... if pricey... but there is One Thing to pay close attention to... Locking that Sucker!

Last week, I took the Backrest off for a short... while I bolted on the Saddlebag mounts we fabricated... When I reinstalled it... I ... apparently failed, when I snapped it into position, to insure that the locking mechanism was fully and completely engaged...

Damn! It took three days to vibrate/bounce off... but managed to do it without me noticing... and then took an hour and a half of driving back down the road, in the dark, to find it... once I realized that high dollar piece of Motorcycle Jewelry was gone!

How I didn't notice it leaving is a mystery to me... the thing took a nasty chunk out of the paint on the rear fender as it was leaving! ... I've not got one idea what the hell I was doin'... to not notice! geeze... I wonder if this is one of the early stages of "Old Timers Syndrome"... You don't notice big parts fallin' off the vehicle you're ridin' on!

The Back Rest is pretty road rashed and will require some dinero to get Re chromed... and the back pad on it that I'd already had custom covered is ate up... but at least I didn't totally lose it!... So... make sure, when you install the Yamaha Raider Backrest... that you double check the lock... to see that it is fully engaged!

Rolling on to more cheerful news... I got my saddlebags ordered from Osprey Limited yesterday afternoon. They were recommended to me by Kerry, up in British Columbia... who has a set of their bags and told me the quality is there... and considering the price ... $400+- for a pair of full grain leather, ABS reinforced bags... I'm looking forward to getting them on... Next Week!

Yup... Next Week!... I managed to time my order just when he was starting a couple sets of the style I'm getting... so he just added a third to the run... and will ship in a couple of days!

So... passport is on the way, saddlebags are on the way... drivers seat gets customized for 'Long Riding' next week at Bitchn Stitchn, and... picked up some new "Iron Horse Duty Boots" at Bass Pro too! ... waterproof... side zippered... comfortable... and Bass Pro's label... so a good price as well...

Progress is bein' made... though the hole in my wallet can't get much deeper... before it hits bottom!

So... I better get goin' and start fillin' it back up! :o)

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

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